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Secular Tunisia lets Islamic values rise in apparent bid to placate opponents

CARTHAGE, Tunis — Clad in ample white robes, a turban and red skullcap, Sheik Mohamed Machfar slips on a pair of large black earphones as he sits behind the microphone in the gleaming new studios of Radio Zitouna. Now one of the most popular talk show hosts in Tunisia, he happily explains how his programs embody the comeback of Islamic values in a nation viewed as among the most secular in the Arab world.

Somali Islamist group orders 2 radio stations to stop broadcasts; no reason given

MOGADISHU, Somalia — A powerful Islamist group linked to al-Qaida on Wednesday ordered two radio stations in southwestern Somalia to stop broadcasts indefinitely.

Radio and television stations return to air in Honduras after government rescinds decree

TEGUCIGALPA, Honduras — Opposition radio and television stations in Honduras were back on the air Tuesday after the government lifted a three-week broadcast ban.

Group honors journalists from Belarus, Cameroon, Iran and Israel for work in harsh conditions

NEW YORK — Four newswomen from Belarus, Cameroon, Iran and Israel who have kept working in the face of intimidation, threats and attacks were honored Tuesday by an international media group.

Senate committee approves bill to require radio stations to pay royalties to performers

WASHINGTON — Legislation to make radio stations pay royalties to performers when they broadcast their music won the Senate Judiciary Committee’s approval Thursday.

Honduran rivals tone down hopes for end to crisis despite consensus reached by negotiators

TEGUCIGALPA, Honduras — The rivals for Honduras’ presidency toned down hopes for an end to the nation’s political standoff despite an apparent breakthrough by negotiators who said they had reached consensus on ousted President Manuel Zelaya’s return to office.

Honduran rivals weigh proposal for ousted leader’s return to office; talks to continue

TEGUCIGALPA, Honduras — Negotiators reached a tentative agreement Wednesday on whether to return ousted President Manuel Zelaya to office, but both the deposed Honduran leader and the coup-installed president responded to the plan only by saying that talks would go on.

Argentine Senate approves law dismantling media monopolies, president to sign

BUENOS AIRES, Argentina — Argentina’s Senate overwhelmingly approved a law that will transform the nation’s media landscape on Saturday, and President Cristina Fernandez quickly signed it into law.

US envoy in Honduras condemns ‘disgusting’ anti-Semitic remarks by pro-Zelaya radio director

TEGUCIGALPA, Honduras — The U.S. Ambassador in Honduras has condemned anti-Semitic remarks by a local radio news director who has been an outspoken opponent of the coup that ousted President Manuel Zelaya.

Dazed survivors emerge from muck and mire of earthquake in the Samoas as death toll reaches 119

APIA, Samoa — Police searched a ghastly landscape of mud-strewn streets, pulverized homes and bodies scattered in a swamp Wednesday as dazed survivors emerged from the muck and mire of an earthquake and tsunami that killed at least 119 in the South Pacific.

Sirius XM passing along $2 performance fees to subscribers

Sirius XM listeners are getting $2 fees added to their monthly satellite radio bills, in what amounts to a sneaky price increase.

Food, medicine, temporary morgue sent to tsunami-stricken Samoas, death toll at 119

APIA, Samoa — Police searched a ghastly landscape of mud-strewn streets, pulverized homes and bodies scattered in a swamp Wednesday as dazed survivors emerged from the muck and mire of an earthquake and tsunami that killed at least 119 in the South Pacific.

Disaster official says death toll from tsunami hits 83 in Samoa, bringing total count to 119

APIA, Samoa — A senior Samoan disaster official says the nation’s death toll has risen to 83 following a massive tsunami. She said more bodies are expected to be recovered as searches resumed at dawn.

Disaster officials sending food, temporary morgue to tsunami disaster in Samoas that killed 99

APIA, Samoa — Disaster officials rushed food, medicine and a temporary morgue to the Samoas on Wednesday after a powerful earthquake unleashed a tsunami that flattened villages and swept cars and people out to sea. At least 99 people were killed.

Coup-installed president of Honduras backs down and agrees to restore civil liberties

TEGUCIGALPA, Honduras — The coup-installed president of Honduras backed down Monday from an escalating standoff with protesters and suggested he would restore civil liberties and reopen dissident television and radio stations by the end of the week.

Honduras government reversal on measures reflects nervousness on Zelaya’s return

TEGUCIGALPA, Honduras — Honduras’ interim president promised to restore civil liberties and allow into the country an Organization of American States mediation team, quickly backpedalling from tough measures amid criticism from his own allies that he had gone too far in his fight to stay in power.

Increasingly desperate Honduran leaders vow to restore freedoms; standoff at pro-Zelaya march

TEGUCIGALPA, Honduras — The coup-installed president of Honduras backed down Monday from an escalating standoff with protesters and suggested he would restore civil liberties and reopen dissident television and radio stations by the end of the week.

Honduras’ interim government raids media outlets after suspending civil liberties

TEGUCIGALPA, Honduras — Honduras’ coup-installed government has silenced two key dissident broadcasters hours after it suspended civil liberties to prevent an uprising by backers of ousted President Manuel Zelaya.

Glenn Beck gets ceremonial key to Washington state hometown as allies, foes demonstrate nearby

MOUNT VERNON, Wash. — The mayor of Glenn Beck’s hometown in Washington state presented the Fox News personality with a ceremonial key to the city Saturday evening, an event preceded by weeks of protests and petitions calling for the cancellation of the visit.

Honduras restricts civil liberties, issues ultimatum to Brazil; Zelaya calls for mass marches

TEGUCIGALPA, Honduras — Interim government leaders have suspended constitutionally guaranteed civil liberties in a pre-emptive strike against widespread rebellion Monday, three months to the day since they ousted President Manuel Zelaya in a military-backed coup.

Honduras clamps down on civil rights, says it’s to prevent Zelaya’s ‘calls for insurrection’

TEGUCIGALPA, Honduras — Honduras’ interim leaders late Sunday suspended key civil liberties in response to “calls for insurrection” by ousted President Manuel Zelaya, empowering police and soldiers to break up “unauthorized” public meetings, arrest people without warrants and restrict the news media.

Glenn Beck attracts many friends, some foes to Seattle appearance

SEATTLE — Glenn Beck warmed up for his touted return to his Washington hometown with an appearance Saturday at Seattle’s Safeco Field that drew crowds of loyal fans but also some protesters.

Oral history recorders launch StoryCorpsHistorias to collect Latinos’ tales of life in US

WASHINGTON — Gus Hernandez and his family spent two nights sleeping in their car before Siddiqi Hansoti gave them three weeks’ stay in his motel and then, even better, a job.

ACORN grew from local charity to national conglomerate with radio stations, schools

WASHINGTON — Activist group ACORN started in 1970 to help poor people in Arkansas and by decade’s end went national, expanding into a multimillion-dollar conglomerate with a mission so far-flung that schools now bear its name, two radio stations are affiliates and a man its political arm endorsed is the president. Oh yeah — and it’s the unwilling star of a hot Internet video featuring a couple dressed as a hooker and her pimp.

Ex-president of Peru, Bolivia decry actions against media in Venezuela

CARACAS, Venezuela — Former presidents from Peru and Bolivia joined newspaper editors from across the Americas on Friday in condemning what they call a series of attempts by Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez, and some of his allies, to clamp down on the news media.

Former Oregon Sen. Gordon Smith to head National Association of Broadcasters

WASHINGTON — Former Oregon Sen. Gordon Smith was named on Friday to lead the National Association of Broadcasters.