March 12 2003

IT'S BEEN MORE than a week since the London Observer broke the story of the United States' recent espionage adventures at the United Nations – but perhaps you hadn't heard about that? The news was quickly picked up by media outlets across the globe, but stateside it's a whole different story – one that's barely on the radar of the mainstream media. Meanwhile, the Bush administration proceeds apace with its war plans despite worldwide opposition, civil liberties infringements are on the rise, and the line between information and entertainment continues to blur on Web sites such as CNN and MSNBC. We need independent news coverage more than ever, and it's actually out there if you know how to find it. The following Internet media sources present the headlines and the viewpoints you may not be seeing elsewhere.

Al-Jazeera emerged as a leading source of information from the Arab world after Sept. 11, 2001, yet news from the Qatari-based organization only reached Americans through U.S. news sources. The Al-Jazeera Web site is available only in Arabic, but you can register for free use of the Arabic portal to the Internet, Ajeeb (english.ajeeb.com), and view Arabic Web sites in English using its translation device. www.al-jazeera.net.

Antiwar.com began its war coverage during the Clinton administration interventions in the Balkans. The online outlet combines news and commentary from the mainstream media with reporting by its own staff. Antiwar.com is operated by the Randolph Bourne Institute. www.antiwar.com.

Common Dreams News Center compiles articles from daily newspapers, magazines, journals, and other sources – offering easy access to news pertinent to the progressive community. The site, launched in 1997, also offers links to many other media outlets and Russell Mokhiber's popular column Ari and I, a log of his interactions with Press Secretary Ari Fleischer during White House press briefings. www.commondreams.org.

Cursor.org, which arose out of a noble search to identify the most preposterous newscast in the Twin Cities of Minnesota, presents an eclectic mix of news and media criticism with stories posted to the site and links to Web logs (chronological arrangements of postings, continually updated) and relevant stories on other sites, ranging from the New Yorker to the Guerrilla News Network. www.cursor.org.

Electronic Iraq is the result of a collaboration by Voices in the Wilderness and the Electronic Intifada. The Web site was launched Feb. 8, when the Bush administration made it clear that a U.S. attack on Iraq was imminent. Hit the Refresh button on the homepage to see a collection of current photographs of people in Baghdad and southern Iraq on the eve of war. www.electroniciraq.net.

The Guardian, the U.K.'s eminent liberal daily, routinely offers coverage of international affairs that puts most American dailies to shame. In particular, check out the Guardian's Special Report on Iraq (www.guardian.co.uk/iraq). www.guardian.co.uk.

Independent Media Center, born out of the 1999 World Trade Organization protests in Seattle, is the essence of grassroots journalism. The IMC is a loose cluster of independent media organizations that carry unfiltered news reports, images, and audio and video recordings from collective media outlets around the world. www.indymedia.org or www.indybay.org (San Francisco IMC).

The Independent U.K., like the Guardian, is a liberal British newspaper with good international coverage and some incisive columnists. www.independent.co.uk.

Iraq Body Count has been compiling the daily Iraqi death toll from the U.S. and U.K. bombing of Iraq since the beginning of the year. At press time the Iraq Body Count project team had recorded 14 civilian casualties; that number may have swollen exponentially by the time this issue hits the stands if the United States has gone to war. www.iraqbodycount.net.

Iraq Journal is coordinated by Democracy Now! correspondent Jeremy Scahill and videographer Jacqueline Soohen, reporting directly from Baghdad. The Web site contains multimedia reports that have been filed regularly since last October, as well as detailed maps of Iraq and the Middle East. www.iraqjournal.org.

The Nation uploads content from its weekly publication to its Web site, which also includes Rapid Response Web logs, articles, and other online-only features. To view an index of the Nation's entire war coverage dating back to its July 8, 2002, editorial against the war, go to the heading "Focus On" in the site's left-hand column and click on the link "Anti-War in Iraq 2003." www.thenation.com.

The Village Voice offers clear proof that American dissent to Bush's war for oil runs as deep on the East Coast as it does in northern California. New York City's premier independent news source features an extensive index of war reports at www.villagevoice.com/special/iraq. www.villagevoice.com.