Government of Chile

| Chile | Permalink | 2006 Dec 12

Offers an overview of Chilean politics from the government's perspective, something newspapers in the region have a hard time doing. There is an English-language version of the site. (Read more)

Middle East Economic Digest

| United Kingdom | Permalink | 2006 Nov 05

This weekly is highly insightful, not to mention intelligent. While the magazine considers itself a business publication, it contains significant political and economic analyses from the Middle East and North Africa. Not just for entrepreneurs, the Digest is a must-have for students, journalists and politicians. (Read more)

Peruvian Government Portal

| Government | Peru | Permalink | 2006 Oct 24

The Peruvian government has come a long way since Alejandro Fujimori was chased out of the country. The modern portal now offers citizen services, such as passport and I.D. forms, as well as a near-complete directory of government branches. The presidential palace has a separate Web site and even includes a telephone number in case you would like to speak to the secretary. (Read more)

The Daily Mail-U.K.

| United Kingdom | Permalink | 2006 Oct 24

A daily founded in 1896, The Daily Mail's editorial stance has consistently been conservative. It caters to middle-class Britons and peddles "conservative values" that are often supported by inconclusive (and sometimes downright wrong) information. It is famous for having supported the Nazi Party. Yet it remains a highly successful venture, ranking only behind The Sun in circulation. It is owned by Associated Newspapers Ltd., which is a subsidiary of Daily Mail and General Trust Plc. [DMGT]. (Read more)

The Jakarta Post

| Indonesia | Permalink | 2006 Jun 07

The most popular English-daily out of Jakarta delivers not just news and editorials but also reference sections on Indonesia's history, culture and political establishment. The paper excels in hard news, disasters and corruption. (Read more)

Soma

| Iraq | Permalink | 2006 Jun 06

Soma ("perspective" in Kurdish) became the first English-language newspaper to launch in the Kurdish enclave, in northern Iraq. The bi-weekly digest is aimed almost exclusively at expatriates. Funded by Mrs. Hiro Ibrahim Ahmad, wife of Iraqi President Jalal Talabani, who is Kurdish, the paper is heavily pro-Kurdish. While frowned upon outside the Kurdish media, the paper freely uses "Kurdistan" (Kurdish nation) in its text.

The managing editor at launch was Tanya Goudsouzian, a veteran journalist and news analyst covering the Middle East. Her exclusive interview with Mr. Talabani, former leader of the P.U.K. Kurdish faction, was no surprise given that his wife funds the small newspaper. Still many colorful and insightful stories are those that never make it to the Western media. (Read more)

The Economist

| United Kingdom | United States | Permalink | 2006 May 31

No magazine should be deified. But if I were forced to name the best, The Economist would be it. It has been a "newspaper" since 1843. It speaks with a collective voice -- with rare use of bylines -- to issues ranging from politics and global economy to science and arts. It remains steadfast to founder James Wilson's love for free trade, free markets and internationalism. Its concise and often witty analyses do not waste time translating simple phrases or explaining theories or terms. Each edition is valued by leaders around the world even though some of them censor parts or all of the magazine (you know who you are!).

The Economist is owned by the The Economist Group and managed by an independent board of trustees. The Group also owns Roll Call that has been covering the Capitol Hill since 1955. Economist.com's backgrounders and style guide are gems. (Read more)

Der Spiegel (The Mirror)

| Germany | Most Useful | Permalink | 2006 May 31

Germany's most influential weekly magazine with a circulation of about a million readers, the magazine has a track record of uncovering (and triggering) major scandals in the government. In 1962, an article about the German military's poor state of readiness led to the raid of the editorial offices on trumped-up treason charges. The incident, known as the "Spiegel Affair," led to the resignation of Defense Minister Franz Josef Strauß and others in the Konrad Adenauer administration.

The magazine started printing in 1947 in Hannover and moved to Hamburg in 1952. It is published by the Spiegel Group, which publishes several sister magazines and produces television programs. In 2004, Spiegel International was launched in English and includes cover stories, features, daily updates and a round-up of key German newspapers headlines. (Read more)

The Daily Telegraph (of London)

| United Kingdom | Permalink | 2006 May 31

The Daily Telegraph and The Sunday Telegraph are published by The Telegraph Group. Hollinger, the Group's parent company, is now owned by the famous Barclay brothers. Corrupt Canadian media mogul Conrad Black used to own the paper. This broadsheet is widely read among Britain's conservatives. Editorials (leaders) swing to the right yet its regular coverage strays very little from the center. Its recently redesigned Internet portal is a breath of fresh air. The Telegraph is by far the most-read paper in Britain -- a sore subject for The Times. (Read more)

Lloyd's List

| Most Useful | Trade Publication | United Kingdom | Permalink | 2006 May 31

Published since 1734 in one form or another, Lloyd's List is the indisputable leader of shipping and maritime news. This venerable publication traces its humble beginnings to Edward Lloyd's Coffee House frequented by shipping magnates and insurers. Today it covers ship movements and maritime intelligence from 1,500 ports in 78 countries. Unlike similar publications, Lloyd's List does not mince words and gets right to the point. (Read more)

The Times (of London)

| United Kingdom | Permalink | 2006 May 26

Britain's newspaper of record, The Times began in 1785 as The Daily Universal Register. Just three years later, its name was changed to what we know today. It long appealed to the conservative upper class of British society. Since Rupert Murdoch's News Corporation purchased the paper in 1981, the paper has focused more on entertainment and "fun" to increase circulation. It will never compete with The Sun, which Mr. Murdoch also owns. It remains a "serious" paper despite concerns about Mr. News Corporation's ideological leanings. Online the blogs by correspondents are a must-read. The Times style guide is a good reference. (Read more)

World Oil

| Energy | United States | Permalink | 2006 May 25

It is one of the oldest magazines for the oil exploration and drilling industry. Since 1916, World Oil has covered well engineering, equipment, trend analysis as well as current events. Its Web site houses a huge catalog of exploration and drilling equipment and parts. The directory of companies, however, is alphabetical and hard to search. It is owned by Gulf Publishing Company, which also publishes the Hydrocarbon Processing magazine. (Read more)

Financial Times

| Germany | Hong Kong | United Kingdom | United States | Permalink | 2006 May 25

The Financial Times is an institution. Its signature pink paper is hard to miss on newsstands around the world or aboard airplanes. Since its start in 1888 in London, the paper has added European, Asian and U.S. editions. The Times gets right to the point and conserves flowery, superfluous quotes seen in many other papers. Its Internet partner, FT.com, is simple, inviting and resourceful. It publishes FTChinese.com and FTDeutschland in their respective languages. (Read more)

Focus

| Germany | Permalink | 2006 May 24

Focus started as a risky adventure, in 1993, to go up against the venerable Spiegel magazine, also a weekly. This weekly is fresh and current in design and appeals to an younger audience unlike the conservative Spiegel. Focus Online, the Internet arm of the magazine, is partnered with Microsoft's online unit, MSN. After countless mergers, acquisitions and joint ventures, the magazine is now part of a conglomerate, the Tomorrow Focus AG. The magazine also runs a TV talk show with the ProSieben network. In just 10 short years, Focus Magazin Verlag GmbH has become a powerhouse in magazine publishing. (Read more)

Bernama

| Malaysia | Permalink | 2006 May 24

Bernama is the Malaysian National News Agency established in 1968 by an Act of Parliament a year earlier. While neutral on most issues, it avoids criticizing government officials or sensitive government policies. It has offices in Indonesia and Singapore and stringers in Australia, Britain, Bangladesh, Canada, India, the Philippines and the United States. It launched Bernama TV in 1998. (Read more)

The New Anatolian

| Most Useful | Turkey | Permalink | 2006 May 19

This new English-language daily out of Ankara presents a fairly balanced view that is enshrined in its motto, "Turkey's only independent English-language daily." The paper features a daily survey of top headlines in the front pages of major Turkish newspapers. It features opinion pieces by a dozen contributing columnists. (Read more)

The New York Times

| Most Useful | United States | Permalink | 2006 May 17

The New York Times has grown from a city paper named the "New-York Daily Times" in 1851 to a network of 16 newspapers, nine television stations, two radio stations and 35 Web sites, including About.com. The paper's Internet site has become a portal to a wealth of information from around the world. (Read more)

Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung

| Germany | Permalink | 2006 May 17

Born in 1949, F.A.Z. has an unusual editorial policy that requires five editors for decisions rather than assigning sections to individual editors. Its editorial board claims a circulation of more than 900,000 and daily delivery to 145 countries. This newspaper, from my former hometown, Frankfurt am Main, has the most boring front page that contains no photos. In contrast, its online arm is colorful, interactive and easy to read. (Read more)

The Philippine Daily Inquirer

| Philippines | Permalink | 2006 May 16

The Inquirer emerged as an alternative broadsheet in late 1985 when three major dailies were all controled by the Marcos government. The Inquirer's content is published by INQ7 Interactive, a joint venture with GMA Network. (Read more)

Panorama

| Albania | Permalink | 2006 May 16

Center-right broadsheet. (Read more)

Tirana Times

| Albania | Permalink | 2006 May 16

An independent, English-language daily which publishes only select stories online. Its site leaves much to be desired. As the first English-language daily, the young Times, started in early 2005, could become important. (Read more)

Gazeta Balkan

| Albania | Permalink | 2006 May 16

Independent daily published in Tirane. (Read more)

Albanian Daily News

| Albania | Permalink | 2006 May 16

English-language independent daily from Tirane. An Albanian version is also available. (Read more)

The Korea Times

| Korea, South | Permalink | 2006 May 16

Established on 1 November 1950, The Korea Times used to be the only local source of Korean news in English. Its defining post-war mission was to inform English speakers about the inner workings of South Korea. Today it includes an extensive section on North Korean news as well as licensed contents from LAT World Reports and The New York Times. (Read more)

Hankook Ilbo

| Korea, South | Permalink | 2006 May 16

Hankook Ilbo got its start a few years later its sibling, the English-language Korea Times, was born. This center-left daily trails in circulation, but continues to disintinguish itself through The Korea Times. (Read more)

Donga Ilbo

| Korea, South | Permalink | 2006 May 16

Since its official inception in 1945 with the help of the United States, Donga Ilbo has evolved to become a leading, center-left daily in Seoul. Donga.com, the online arm, operates nearly independently of its print cousin, supplying worldwide content in cooperation with BBC World, The Asahi Shimbun and Australian Broadcasting Corporation's ABC Asia Pacific. (Read more)

The Chosun Ilbo

| Korea, South | Permalink | 2006 May 17

A leading South Korean daily that leans to the center-right. Since its establishment in the early 20th Century, the paper has had a testy relationship with the authorities, including the Japanese occupiers and the U.S.-backed South Korean military junta. (Read more)

U.S. News & World Report

| United States | Permalink | 2006 May 17

U.S. News & World Report was created in 1948 from the merger of two weeklies, the United States News and the World Report. Publisher and real estate tycoon Mortimer B. Zuckerman, who also owns the New York Daily News, bought out the magazine in 1984. The mag regularly scoops its rivals with lengthy investigative reports and publishes the now controversial university rankings. "Washington Whispers" is a must-read section for those following the D.C. rumor mill. (Read more)

The Guardian

| Most Useful | United Kingdom | Permalink | 2006 May 31

This Guardian staunchly defends its independence unlike other leading dailies. It is published by The Guardian Media Group PLC which is owned and managed by The Scott Trust, a charitable organization. The Trust is charged with maintaining the newspaper's independence and keep it profitable enough to eliminate the risk of a hostile takeover. Since John Edward Taylor started the Manchester Guardian in 1821 to defend liberal interests, its opinion pages have been the leading platform for liberal thinkers and politicians.

Guardian Unlimited, the online arm of the newspaper, is one of the best online news websites in the world. Its blogs are crisp, funny, serious and informative. The style guide is useful for writers. (Read more)

The National

| Papua New Guinea | Permalink | 2006 May 16

Daily published in Port Moresby. (Read more)