In the radio interview he gave minutes before his death, Mr Kanaan denied rumours reported in Lebanese media that he had handed the UN investigators extensive files on corruption in Lebanon during his tenure and had shown them photocopies of cheques he had received from Hariri.

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The media must be even-handed on this divisive issue, but they might also take a page from a small Mississippi paper that bigotry shouldn't deter them from treating gay couples fairly.

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Perhaps one secret to their success was a relaxed attitude toward the media, because when I arrived, I was handed a press pass, essentially told I had free reign of the event, given the number to this hotel room and left to my own devices.

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Piracy can be combated without heavy-handed legislation, largely by coming up with better access to digital media online and through trust-building between industry and their customer base.

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Fleischer, who was giving the briefing, was handed a note and suddenly announced that the West Wing was being evacuated and that all media personnel should move to the Eisenhower Executive Office Building next door to the White House.

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Though the media certainly preferred Carter over Reagan heading into the 1980 elections, the electorate felt differently and handed Reagan a 44-state landslide.

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