20 Dec 2011 | Index Index, minipost
Virgin Media’s electronic programme guide took offence at a range of inoffensive words at the weekend. Alfred Hitchcock became Alfred Hitchc**k, as Jarvis C**ker was subject to the same treatment. A**enal and Charles D**kens were also deemed too offensive for viewers. A Virgin Media spokesperson told the Guardian: “Over the weekend a temporarily over-zealous profanity checker took offence at certain programme titles. The altered titles have been swiftly an*lysed and we’re fixing any remaining glitches.” Viewers were quick to notice, posting pictures of the c**k up online.
20 Dec 2011 | Index Index, minipost
A playwright has been arrested whilst performing a play which was deemed critical of the government in Malawi. Thlupego Chisiza was arrested on Sunday after armed police stormed the Lions Theater in Blantyre, where he was performing the play SEMO. The play, which was co-written by student activist Robert Chasowa, who died in mysterious circumstances, criticises the governments handling of laws which are believed to have regressed the country back to dictatorship. The authorities claimed Chisiza failed to send the play to the board of classification for vetting, which the playwright denies.
20 Dec 2011 | Index Index, minipost
An advertising company in Jerusalem has refused to carry ads campaigning for women’s equality on their buses. Cnaan Advertising, the company responsible for adverts on buses rejected the advert campaign as they believe the buses will be vandalised by orthodox extremists . Cnaan Advertising demanded a financial guarantee of almost £8,500 from Yerushalmim, the movement responsible for the campaign, to run the adverts. In 2008, adverts featuring Yerushalmim head Rachel Azaria appeared on buses as part of her run for a seat on the city council, but since then, women have rarely appeared on bus advertisements.
20 Dec 2011 | Africa, Index Index, minipost
A Somali journalist was shot dead by a man wearing a government soldier’s uniform on Sunday in Mogadishu. Abdisalan Sheikh Hasan from Horn Cable TV channel was shot after a government soldier in uniform with an AK47 ordered Hasan and his colleague Zakariye Abdulahi to stop their car. Abdulahi said that without any further questions, the soldier opened fire on Hasan. The TV journalist, who had been receiving death threats, later died in theatre from injuries to his shoulder and stomach.
