Dubai: The Dubai Press Club, General Secretariat for the Arab Journalism Awards (AJA), released the names of 38 nominees across 10 award categories yesterday.

Apart from three nominees each in nine categories, AJA 2010 has shortlisted six nominees for the Young Journalist category, which attracted the maximum number of submissions.

Winners in all categories as well as the ‘Best Newspaper Column' and ‘Media Personality of the Year' will be honoured at a gala ceremony that will mark the conclusion of the 9th edition of the Arab Media Forum.

The event is being held under the patronage of His Highness Shaikh Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai.

The Arab Journalism Awards for 2010 have received more than 3,500 submissions for all 12 categories, representing a 13 per cent increase over the entries received in 2009.

Mona Bu Samra, Deputy Manager, AJA, said: "The total number of highly innovative and unique submissions from across the Arab world reflects the increasing appeal of the most coveted recognition for journalism in the region. In addition, the largest number of entries in the Young Journalist category reiterates the interest of the youth in the media industry.

Shortlisted nominations for the Investigative Reporting category include a combined submission from Samah Abd Al Mo'ti and Ali Zalat from the Masri Al Yoom newspaper, with a report on a human organ trafficking network in Egypt; a combined submission from Ghazi Bani Odeh and Naela Khalil of the Palestinian newspaper Al Ayam with a special report on Israelis jails; and a work from Radwan Hafyani from the Moroccan newspaper Al Sabah about Moroccans fighting alongside the US Marines.

The Press Interviews Journalism category nominees include an interview with the French journalist Allan Jreish presented by Dalia Saudi from the Egyptian magazine Wajahat Nathar; an interview with the Kuwaiti Central Bank Governor from Faisal Al Shamari of the Kuwaiti newspaper Awan; and an interview with Pope Shenouda III of the Coptic Orthodox Church of Alexandria, a combined work of Mohamad Ali Ibrahim and Sameh Mahros from the Egyptian newspaper Al Jomhoreya.

Nominees in the Specialised Journalism category include submissions from Hisham Allam and Dareen Farghali from the Egyptian newspaper Al Masri Al Yoom about a report on pollution of Nile river; a work from Samar Al Dramly from Maan News Agency on children affected during the last Israeli war in Gaza; and a submission from the Saudi portal Al Majala about the changing climatic conditions.

The Cultural Criticism category nominees include a work of Yahya Al Battat from Dubai Cultural magazine; a work from Ahmad Hamad Idrees published in the Saudi newspaper Al Madina; and an article from Yasir Hafeth of the Kuwaiti Al Ra'e newspaper.

Nominees for the Economic Journalism category include reports from Ahmad Al Saba'ai of the Ahram newspaper in Egypt; Moshreq Haydar of Al Bayan newspaper; and Khalid Khneifer of Al Iqtisadiya Saudi newspaper.

The Political Journalism category nominees include a work from the Bahraini newspaper Al Wasat; a work from Noor Al Deen Qalala from the Qatari newspaper Al Arab; and another submission from Majdi Salama from Al Wafd newspaper in Egypt.

The Sports Journalism category nominees include submissions from Mohammad Al Jokar from Al Bayan UAE newspaper; Motaz Fathi from Al Ittihad UAE newspaper; and a combined submission from Mohammad Al Bade' and Nabil Fikri, also of Al Ittihad UAE newspaper.

Nominees in the Photo Journalism category include Khalil Abd Al Qadir a Palestinian freelance photographer for a photo he published on the Lebanese newspaper Al Akhbar; Ibrahim Abu Mustafa from Reuters office in Palestine; and Wissam Nassar from Maan News Agency from Palestine.

The Outstanding Cartoon Works category nominees include submissions from Amer Al Zo'bi from Al Bayan UAE newspaper; AlShafee' Sadeq from the Saudi newspaper Okaz; and Yaser Al Ahmad from the Syrian newspaper Al Ra'i.

With the maximum number of submissions received for the Young Talent Journalism category, the Arab Journalism Awards General Secretariat has introduced three awards for this category. Likewise, two nominees for each award has been announced which include Zuheir Dolah from the UAE newspaper Emarat Al Yoom; Asma' Al Ghool from the Palestinian newspaper Al Ayam; Ahmad Dalool from the Press agency in Palestine; Hessa Saif from Al Khaleej newspaper in the UAE; Mohammad Othman from Ekhbareyat online portal in Palestine; and Yousif Al Johayli from the Moroccan newspaper Al Masaa'.

The Arab Media Forum 2010 will be held from 12-13 May at The Atlantis-Palm Hotel. Themed ‘Shifting Mediascape: Inspiring Content...Expanding Reach', the forum is expected to host more than 800 prominent global and Arab members of the media in