21 Dec 11 | Index Index, minipost
Strictly Come Dancing star Nancy Dell’Olio has had her libel action against the Daily Mail struck out by the high court. Dell’Olio attempted to sue the tabloid after an article, headlined “Return of the man-eater” appeared, referring to her relationship with 71-year-old theatre director Sir Trevor Nunn. The article, which was published in April, described Dell’Olio as “a woman who hunts men but, rather than kill them and eat them, uses them for her own selfish ends”, which she believed presented her as a “predator”, and a “serial gold digger“.
21 Dec 11 | Index Index, minipost
Hungary’s national media council have taken the radio frequency from the country’s largest opposition radio station, Klubradio. Three frequencies were reassigned by the media council, and Klubradio’s frequency was awarded to Autoradio Musorszolgaltato Kft. In a statement issued by email yesterday, the watchdog claimed Autoradio bid “significantly above” the asking price and promised to broadcast more Hungarian music. The decision from the national media council has been described as a “de facto ban” by Andras Arato, Klubradio’s chairman.
Read Mike Harris on Hungary’s alarming new media regulations
21 Dec 11 | Index Index, minipost
The US Government has asked two scientific journals to censor data on bird flu. Nature and Science were asked by the US National Science Advisory Board for Biosecurity to publish redacted versions of studies by two research groups that suggests the H5N1 avian flu could spread quickly among humans. The laboratory-made version of bird flu covered in the data could easily jump between ferrets — a sign a mutated form of the virus could spread among humans. The journals are objecting to the request, saying it would restrict access to information that might advance the cause of public health.
Read more about censorship and science in “Dark Matter,” the latest issue of Index on Censorship magazine. You can also read the entire issue for free (until 22 December) on our Facebook page
21 Dec 11 | Europe and Central Asia, Index Index, minipost
Forty
Turkish journalists were
arrested in raids which targeted suspected members of the “press and propaganda wing” of a banned Kurdish separatist group. The arrests in Istanbul yesterday morning came during
continuing investigation into the outlawed Union of Kurdistan Communities (KCK). At around 7am yesterday, anti-terrorist police raided the offices of several media organisations, the majority of which were pro-Kurdish media. Hours after the arrests, hundreds of Turkish journalists participated in a hastily organised
protest march.
