The appeal of Paul Chambers in the “twitter joke trial” is to take place on 10 November. The trainee accountant from Doncaster who was convicted for sending threatening messages after he joked on Twitter that he would blow up Robin Hood Airport if his flight was cancelled. The appeal before the divisional courts of the Queen’s Bench comes one year after he lost his crown court appeal. Chambers will be represented by Ben Emmerson QC.
British designer John Galliano has been given a suspended fine for two racist and anti-Semitic abuse rants in a Parisian bar. The former Dior designer was found guilty of making public insults on two occasions and charged 6000 euros (£5,200). Galliano was said to have made 35 anti-Jewish insults in the space of 45 minutes when he repeatedly insulted a French couple in February. He was also found guilty of similar charges from October 2010. Galliano claims not to remember the incidents due to his triple addiction to alcohol, sleeping tablets and Valium.
Studios of a private television station in Congo were set alight yesterday. Radio Lisanga Télévision studios in Kinshasa were allegedly set on fire by a group of men throwing tear gas, petrol bombs and incendiary grenades into the building. The station has aired programmes in favour of the opposition leader Etienne Tshisekedi and it is believed that one of the assailants was a member of the youth league of President Joseph Kabila. Two employees escaped from the building from the roof. Press freedom watchdogs have registered concern about the safety of journalists in Congo in the run-up to the presidential elections.
Terrorism charges have been filed against five journalists in Ethiopia. Four independent journalists and the editor of a US based news forum have been detained in the country since June and July. The group were formally charged before the High Court on Tuesday, following their entry to Ethiopia in June with the Ogaden National Liberation Front, which is classed as a terrorist organisation by the government. Terrorism charges were also filed in absentia against Elias Kifle, editor of US-based anti-government forum Ethiopian Review.