Al-Jazeera claims 4m new viewers

Subscriptions to Al-Jazeera have doubled since the war began last week

Subscriptions to Al-Jazeera have doubled since the war began last week. The broadcaster said it has signed up four million subscribers in Europe since Wednesday. It has also launched an English-language website, and plans an English version of its TV channel.

Al-Jazeera had around 35 million Arabic-speaking viewers before the start of the war in Iraq, mostly in the Arabic world, where it is shown free.

The broadcaster enjoys greater freedom than Western broadcasters in Iraq, with eight camera crews operating outside the confines of the military, and some journalists embedded with the allied forces. Although Western TV crews remain in Baghdad, Al-Jazeera has the only camera crew known to be operating in Basra, Iraq's second city. It also has crews in Baghdad and Mosul.

An Al-Jazeera crew helped ITN establish the whereabouts of Terry Lloyd, the veteran reporter who died after coming under fire on Saturday.