In what country was the first newspaper ever published?

BRY2K

Would "Roman Empire" qualify as an answer, flem-ish? The earliest known efforts at publishing a newspaper (a periodically issued publication intended to convey information on current events) was the Roman Acta Diurna (The Daily Events), started around 59 B.C. This was a daily handwritten news report posted in a specified public place under the orders of Emperor Julius Caesar (100–44 B.C.). Around A.D. 700 the Chinese developed the world's first printed newspaper, called the Dibao, which was produced with hand-carved wooden blocks. Around 1450 German inventor Johannes Gutenberg (c. 1397–1468) introduced the movable-type printing press, which spurred the development of the modern newspaper. The typical Acta Diurna might contain news of gladiatorial contests, astrological omens, notable marriages, births and deaths, public appointments, and trials and executions. Such reading matter complemented the usual fare of military news and plebiscite results also given in the Acta Diurna and presaged the future popularity of such newspaper fillers as horoscopes, the obituary column, and the sports pages. By the 1600s several newspapers were in circulation in Germany. The rotary press (a huge, automated roll-fed press that could print on sheets of any size) was invented in the 1800s and made wider circulation possible. http://www.enotes.com/history-fact-finder/culture-recreation/when-was-first-newspaper-published http://www.lian.com/TANAKA/comhosei/NPinEB.htm Nov 12 09, 4:47 PM

flem-ish

I wouldn't mind. As long as you don't say it was Theophraste Renaudot, because he had precursors such as Johann Carolus (Strassbourg), Heinrich Julius (Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel) and Abraham Verhoeven (Antwerp). http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/482597/publishing/28660/The-first-newspapers Nov 12 09, 5:05 PM