On the 16th anniversary of the military takeover in The Gambia, Alagi Yorro Jallow, a 2007 Nieman Fellow, writes about the government’s ongoing repression of journalists in his country. A cofounder of The Independent, he was managing editor until the staff was arrested and its offices closed in May 2005. Since then, he has lived in exile in the United States. Read more
“Shell Games: Rogues, Smugglers, and the Hunt for Nature’s Bounty” is a stranger-than-fiction account of a fisherman who stole millions of dollars worth of some of the world’s most extraordinary marine creatures and led wildlife detectives on a multiyear odyssey. Craig Welch is the chief environmental writer at The Seattle Times and a 2007 Nieman Fellow. Read more
Last week, the Morrocan weekly news magazine Le Journal Hebdomadaire—known to be very critical of the government and for its hard-hitting investigative journalism—was closed down by government authorities. Le Journal Hebdomadaire was founded in 1997 by Aboubakr Jamai, a 2007 Nieman Fellow. Read more
Chris Cousins, a 2007 Nieman Fellow, is joining the staff of the Bangor (Maine) Daily News as a reporter. “Working for such a top-notch news organization was an opportunity I couldn’t pass up, and one that I’ve been seeking for several years,” Cousins said. Read more
James Scott, a 2007 Nieman Fellow, has authored "The Attack on the Liberty: The Untold Story of Israel's Deadly 1967 Assault on a U.S. Spy Ship," available in bookstores this week. In this book, Scott recounts the story of the horrifying attack on the U.S.S. Liberty by Israeli fighter jets and torpedo boats, and the tremendous impact it had on the lives of the crew. Read more
Four Nieman Fellows were among those honored with awards by the Overseas Press Club award program: Jeb Sharp, Dexter Filkins, Amy Goldstein, and Alma Guillermoprieto. Read more
"The Forever War," a book reporting on the conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan by Dexter Filkins, was awarded The National Book Critics Circle prize for general nonfiction. The National Book Critics Circle Award is presented annually for the finest books and reviews published in English. Filkins is a 2007 Nieman Fellow. Read more
Christopher Cousins, a member of the Class of 2007, has accepted a position with Statehouse News Service, which offers in-depth coverage of the Maine Statehouse and state government. Read more
FLYP — a newly-launched Web site featuring Juanita Leon, Class of 2007, as Editor-in-Chief — says its goal is to "leverage the real power of the Web into a new kind of story telling ... to engage you in a conversation about the issues, ideas, and developments that are shaping the U.S. today — and tomorrow." Read more
He’s been sentenced to jail, saw his publication banned and was forced to leave his country. Moroccan Editor/Publisher Aboubakr Jamaï, Class of 2007-2008, is the first recipient of the Tully Center for Free Speech Award. Read more
