A book by the Scottish author Irvine Welsh has been banned in Malta. The University of Malta has taken Walsh’s novel Porno off its library shelves. Malta’s censorship laws state that “obscene or pornographic” literature should not be available to the public and the country’s classification board must approve all literature. Porno, a sequel to the Walsh’s best-selling Trainspotting, features characters involved in the porn industry.
On 14 May, a Cuban appeal court reduced a blogger’s 20 months jail sentence to a fine of 300 pesos (12 dollars). Dania Virgen, who writes El Blog de Dania, was charged with abuse of authority for mistreating her 23-year-old daughter, who disapproved of her political activism. Yoani Sánchez has published an article and video interview with Dania Virgen on her blog.
President Sebastián Piñera, who took power in March, agreed on 15 May to sell his TV Station, Chilevisión, to a local investment group for $130m USD. One of Piñera’s campaign promises was that he would divest his business holdings, including Chilevisión. According to local media reports, the Clarín Group offered $10m more than the local fund, but Piñera rejected the offer to avoid political conflicts with the Argentinian government of Cristina Fernández de Kirchner, which has a tense relationship with the company.
Four journalists have been shot amidst clashes between Red Shirt protestors and the military in the past week. One Canadian reporter and three Thai press workers were wounded whilst covering the escalating protests in Bangkok. Meanwhile Maj-Gen Khattiya Sawasdipol —known as Seh Daeng — a prominent Red Shirt leader was shot in the head on 13 May while being interviewed by a foreign journalist. His death has sparked further unrest.