11 Aug 2009 | Index Index, minipost
Burmese pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi has been found guilty and sentenced to an additional 18 months house arrest by a court in Rangoon. Suu Kyi was convicted of violating state security laws by allowing a US national into her lakeside home after. She was jailed for three years with hard labour, but this was commuted to house arrest, an official said. American John Yettaw was jailed for seven years, four with hard labour. UK Prime Minister Gordon Brown has described the trial as a sham. Read more here
10 Aug 2009 | Index Index, minipost
Science writer Simon Singh is set go to an oral hearing at the Court of Appeal later this year seeking permission to challenge an earlier decision by the court not to allow an appeal over a libel action, according to legal sources. This latest application will mean a new hearing by the Court of Appeal on October 14 over a piece published in the Guardian this April that was challenged by The British Chiropractic Association. Read more here
10 Aug 2009 | Index Index, minipost
Brazillian reporter Fernanda Ezabellahas has been blacklisted by Universal studios after a press conference in Brazil for the new Hollywood movie Funny People, where she asked director Judd Apatow how could he justify spending $1400 for a 9 mile limousine journey to the conference, while the recession is forcing studios to cut staff and budgets. Security removed her microphone whilst Universal Studios did not comment and have blacklisted her from future press conferences. Read more here
10 Aug 2009 | Index Index, Middle East and North Africa, minipost
A government campaign is taking place in Tunisia to discredit Al Jazeera as “the mouthpiece of opposition” to President Ben Ali’s government according to Reporters Without Borders. State owned media and television are being seen to criticise the Doha run news service. Al Jazeera Tunisia correspondent Lofti Hajji has had his activities severely restricted and police have prevented him from interviewing human rights activists and his internet connection has been cut for the past month. Read more here
