The Baghdad Observer was the official Iraqi-government English-language political daily newspaper that was issued continuously between 1967 and 2003. During that period, due to the popularity of the English language worldwide and due to the official nature of that newspaper it used to be the newspaper most-cited by non-Iraqi politicians and journalists covering Iraqi issues. It also used to be one of the most influential English-language newspapers published in Iraq. [1] [2] [3]
The Iraqi authorities forcibly closed the Iraq Times in 1964, which at that time was the most widely circulated English-language Iraqi newspaper. In July of the same year (1964), a new newspaper, the Baghdad News, was issued in order to replace the vacuum left by the then-popular Iraq Times but with more government scrutiny. Baghdad News continued until the nationalization of the Iraqi press with the execution of the Law of the State Enterprise for Organizing Press and Printing No. 155 of 1967. With this infamous law, all the private newspapers were "cancelled" by order of the Iraqi government, including the Baghdad News. With the new law, the Public Press and Printing Enterprise was established to be the central government agency in totalitarian control of all press releases in Iraq. [4] [5]
Within days, Malik Dohan al-Hassan, who was the Iraqi Minister of Culture and Guidance at the fourth cabinet of Tahir Yahya, commissioned staff of the nationalized Baghdad News to use nationalized machinery of the Baghdad News and the Times Press in Baghdad to start a new government-mandated English-language newspaper to centrally replace all private English-language dailies. The new newspaper was named the "Baghdad Observer". Among the names of the founders were Khales Azmi, a former Baghdad News Editor in Chief, Kamal Butti, Edmond Sabri, Nemr Abu Shehab and Amal Afas. According to Azmi in an interview in Baghdad'd Evening newspaper a few days after the first issue of the Baghdad Observer in December 1967, the new newspaper was intended to become "the mouthpiece of the State, both locally and abroad". [6] [7]
The Baghdad Observer newspaper moved from the State Enterprise for Organizing Press and Printing to the House of the Masses for Journalism (Arabic: دار الجماهير للصحافة) after the issuance of the Law of the House of the Massesfor Journalism No. 98 of 1971 [8] and then to the Al-Mamoun House for Translation and Publishing (Arabic: دار المأمون للترجمة والنشر) after the latter was established by the Ministry of Culture and Information in 1980. [9] [10] [11]
The Baghdad Observer continued to be issued without interruption until one day before the Fall of Baghdad in April 2003. [12]
Al-Rusafa or Al-Rasafa is one of the nine administrative districts in Baghdad, Iraq, on the eastern side of the River Tigris. It is one of the old quarters of Baghdad, situated in the heart of the city, and is home to a number of public squares housing important monumental artworks.
Al-Ab Anastas Mari Al-Karmali, Anastas the Carmelite, or Père Anastase-Marie de Saint-Élie, a Lebanese Christian priest and linguist who made important contributions in Arabic linguistics and philology. His philology periodical, the "Lughat al-'Arab" لغة العرب, announced the discovery In 1914 of the lost text of the first Arabic dictionary, "Kitab al-'Ayn",.
Amanat Baghdad Sport Club is a football team based in Karkh District, Baghdad, Iraq. Formed in 1957 as Amanat Al-Asima, the club has finished runners-up of the 1975–76 Iraq FA Cup.
Shmuel Moreh was a professor of Arabic Language and Literature at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem and a recipient of the Israel Prize in Middle Eastern studies in 1999. In addition to having written many books and articles dealing with Arabic literature in general and Iraqi Jewish Arabic literature in particular, he has been a major contributor to Elaph, the first online daily independent journal in the Arabic language. Professor Moreh wrote in Arabic, Hebrew, and English.
Sulaf Jalil is an Iraqi actress, comedy artist and TV presenter, born in Baghdad in 1984. She holds a BA in Languages Institute.
Hisham al-Hashimi was an Iraqi historian and researcher in security and strategic affairs and extremist groups, and a specialist on the subject of the Islamic state and its supporters. He also was an advisor to the Iraqi government on counter-terrorism.
Sabri al-Haiki is a painter, critic and poet from Yemen.
Muhaned Abu Khumra is an Iraqi director, writer, and producer. He is most prominently known for creating the television series Hawa Baghdad. His TV series became one of the most famous TV series in Iraq. His show has been broadcast on Al-Sharqiya.
Manhal Aziz Al-Habbobi is an Iraqi architect and former Mayor of Baghdad. Recognised for his deep philosophical approach to architecture, his style is said to promote a contemporary vision of Mesopotamian heritage. In September 2020, he was appointed Mayor of Baghdad, where he served the city until his resignation in late October. During that time, it was announced that he was independent from any specific political party.
Amine bin Saeed bin Mahmoud bin Hussein Takieddine, 7 November 1884 – 31 May 1937) was a Lebanese writer, poet, lawyer, and political journalist who engaged in Lebanese journalism and politics but failed to break though due to the dissonance between his character and the conception of politics in people's minds. Born in Baakleen in the Chouf District, Takieddine finished his studies in Beirut then travelled to Egypt and published Az-Zouhour Magazine along with Anton Gemayel. He worked as a lawyer in Beirut up until his death from a cardiac arrest. He is famous for his published works in the fields of literature and law.
Aya Mansoor, is an Iraqi poet, writer, and journalist. She published five books: Fingers’ Forest, Alone She Sings, Alice in Baghdad, Sunny Picture, and a play called Invisible, she also wrote many articles in different newspapers and magazines such as Al-Jazeera Net, Iraqi Network Magazine, Al-Sabah Iraqi Journalist, and Yalla news website.
The Hizb Rateb is a collective recitation of Quran or dhikr or dua or wird done by murids and saliks in islamic sufism.
Abu Bakr al-Isfahani, popularly known as Al-Isfahani, was a Persian Qari specialized in Warsh recitation.
Murtada Said Abdel Baki al-Hadithi, was an Iraqi politician, diplomat and minister. Al-Hadithi served as Minister of Foreign Affairs. from 31 October 1971 to 23 June 1974.
Ibrahim Al-Siddiqi was a Saudi-Bahraini writer and poet. He was born in Jubail, studied with Sheikh Muhammad bin Manea al-Najdi, and engaged in teaching, preaching, and counseling. He wrote many books, manuscripts, and poems.
Taqi Muhammad Baharna is a Bahraini sociology poet, diplomat, and businessman. He was born in the capital of Manama. Educated in literature and economics, he has served as Bahrain’s ambassador to Egypt and headed Bahrain’s mission to the Arab League. He has also published his poetry and literature in a number of Bahraini and Arab periodicals, and he has written several books.
Khalil Ahmad Khalil, is a Lebanese intellectual, researcher, translator, prolific, and academic. He was born in 1942 in Sur, South Lebanon. He has many works in the fields of religious, political, cultural, and philosophical sociology, as well as a great number of translations of French, including Lalande's Encyclopedia of Philosophy, and the glossary of philosophical terms. He is considered one of the most prominent Arab intellectuals of the 20th century in general, and in the Progressive Socialist Party in particular. He joined the Party in 1968 and retired all organizational politics work after the assassination of Party leader Kamal Jumblatt. He was honored once for his published works and translations, which enriched the Arabic library, as well as his academic achievement in the Lebanese University.
Salah Labaki was a Lebanese poet, scholar, journalist, and lawyer. He penned poems, as well as literary and critical writings, that have received academic attention. Some regard him to be among the poets who introduced "modern Arabic poetry" in the late 20th century. Labaki is considered a pioneer of the renewal movement in Arabic poetry, and more specifically in Lebanese poetry, in the second quarter of the 20th century. Some of his poems were translated into Spanish. He received the academic French medal, as well as The National Order of Cedar in the officer rank, and was given an honorary degree from The International Institute of California.
Najiba Mahmoud al-Aasal was an Egyptian novelist and short story writer, born in Cairo. She is best known for her work that focused on women's and children's issues. Some of her books include “I left a whisper of silence,” “All this because she is Eve,” and “The Absent lady”(Gone). Her short stories were have been published in many magazines such as Al-Risala(message) Magazine and Al-Hilal (crescent) Magazine.
Ibrahim Bu Hindi (1948) Bahraini contemporary journalist, poet, and playwright. He was born in Muharraq. He obtained a diploma degree in commerce from Bahrain schools. He has worked as a banking employee since 1968. He held the position of Assistant General Manager, Treasury and Investment, at the National Bank of Bahrain and Kuwait. He is a member of the Bahraini Family of Writers and the Bahraini Awal Theater. He has many collections and poetry plays, in addition to several newspaper articles.