''Hadiqat Al Akhbar'' (

Arabic Arabic (, ' ; , ' or ) is a Semitic languages, Semitic language spoken primarily across the Arab world.Semitic languages: an international handbook / edited by Stefan Weninger; in collaboration with Geoffrey Khan, Michael P. Streck, Janet C ...

: حديقة الاخبار; ''The News Garden'') was an Arabic newspaper which was published in Beirut in the period 1858–1911 with a two-year interruption. Its subtitle was ''Ṣaḥīfat Sūriyah wa-Lubnān'' (Arabic: ''Newspaper of Syria and Lebanon''). The paper was the first private daily in Beirut, the first Arabic newspaper which had a regular literary section and the first weekly Arabic newspaper in the region.

History and profile

''Hadiqat Al Akhbar'' was launched by Khalil Al Khuri, a Syrian, in Beirut. The first issue appeared on 29 June 1858. Michel Médawar who was a Greek Catholic merchant working at the

French Consulate The Consulate (french: Le Consulat) was the top-level Government of France from the fall of the Directory in the coup of 18 Brumaire on 10 November 1799 until the start of the Napoleonic Empire on 18 May 1804. By extension, the term ''The Con ...

in Beirut as an interpreter financed the paper. Its publisher was Al Matbaa Al Suriyya which was owned by Al Khuri. He also edited the paper which began to be published both in Arabic and French from 1870. The French edition was entitled ''Hadiqat Al Akhbar. Journal de Syrie et Liban''. ''Hadiqat Al Akhbar'' was made a semi-official publication of the Ottoman Empire in 1860 upon the request of

Fuad Pasha Mehmed Fuad Pasha (1814 – February 12, 1869), sometimes known as Keçecizade Mehmed Fuad Pasha and commonly known as Fuad Pasha, was an Ottoman administrator and statesman, who is known for his prominent role in the Tanzimat reforms of the ...

, Ottoman foreign minister, in the aftermath of the civil conflict in Mount Lebanon and Damascus. Its semi-official status continued until the official Ottoman publication ''Suriya'' was launched. ''Hadiqat Al Akhbar'' also functioned in this status between 1869 and 1870 during the governorship of Franco Pasha in Lebanon. The paper was also supported by the Egyptian Khedive Ismail Pasha, possibly after the Ottoman support ended. The contributors of the paper and Al Khuri were members of the Médawar Literary Circle. Selim Nauphal was the editor who translated and serialized the French novels in the paper. Antonius Ameuney was the contributor of the paper based in London. During its lifetime the frequency of ''Hadiqat Al Akhbar'' was changed from daily to weekly and then to biweekly. It featured local and international news, reports on mercantile activity and also literary works. Soon after its start the paper became one of the leading publications in Beirut. ''Hadiqat Al Akhbar'' was also distributed to other cities, including Damascus, Aleppo, Baghdad, Alexandria, Cairo, Istanbul, Paris, London and Leipzig. The number of subscribers was nearly 400 within the three months after its start. It gradually increased over time. In 1907 ''Hadiqat Al Akhbar'' temporarily ceased publication. Its publication was restarted in April 1909, but the paper was permanently closed down on 10 April 1911.

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* {{DEFAULTSORT:Hadiqat Akhbar 1858 establishments in the Ottoman Empire 1911 disestablishments in the Ottoman Empire Arabic-language newspapers Bilingual newspapers Biweekly newspapers Daily newspapers published in Lebanon Defunct newspapers published in Lebanon Defunct weekly newspapers French-language newspapers published in Lebanon Newspapers established in 1858 Newspapers published in Beirut Publications disestablished in 1911 Weekly newspapers published in Lebanon