CNN sacks Middle East Editor

8 July 2010, Index on Censorship report that CNN sacked their Middle East editor, Octavia Nasr, after she expressed her admiration for the late Lebanese Cleric Grand Ayatollah Mohammed Hussein Fadlallah on Twittter. Nasr commented that the senior Shiite cleric, who is said to have inspired Hezbollah, was “one of Hezbollah’s giants I respect a lot”. In a subsequent blog, she apologised claiming that the message was referring to Fadalallah’s progressive views on women’s rights. CNN officials condemned the post as an error of judgement and stated that Nasr’s position was no longer operating because her credibility had been “compromised”.