Stories about Weblog from March, 2013
Fixing Taps to Save Water In India
Author and painter Aabid Surti may have won awards for his writing and art, but he has also made a mark in another field: water conservation. For the last seven years, the 77-year-old has spent his Sundays going to apartments in Mumbai, and volunteering to fix leaking taps.
Ethiopians Jailed for Protesting Italy's ‘Butcher of Ethiopia’ Memorial
A group of protesters were detained in Ethiopia after demonstrating against a small Italian village's publicly funded memorial to Rodolfo Graziani, a general under fascist Italian dictator Benito Mussolini whose war-time atrocities earned him the nickname "the Butcher of Ethiopia".
Protests and “Frozen Zones” in Brooklyn after murder of Kimani Gray
On Saturday, March 16, Kimani Gray, a 16-year-old African American boy, died at the hands of two New York City police officers. There have been riots in Brooklyn for four consecutive days and police have declared frozen zones in a neighborhood in this borough of New York. News of this event has spread through social networks due to lack of information in the mainstream media.
Panamanian Opposition Parties Elect Presidential Candidates
The two main opposition parties in Panama have already elected their presidential candidates for the 2014 elections. It's heating up and the Panamanians are demanding strong proposals via social networking sites.
Close of Google Reader: Google's Dark Side?
Last week Google announced that on July 1, 2013, it will close its RSS feed reader service, known as Google Reader. Spanish-speaking users analyze what the closing of this service means for the company and for the users.
RIP Nora Šitum, “Brave Little Lion” Who United Croatia
In early February, thousands of Croatian citizens managed to raise enough money in just over a week to make it possible for Nora Šitum, a 5-year-old Croatian girl, to travel to the United States to receive treatment for acute lymphoblastic leukemia. Nora passed away a month and a half later, on March 20, 2013.
Cries of Censorship as Brazilian Satire Blog Ordered Shut Down
A Brazilian court has ruled that satirical blog Falha São Paulo must remain shut down because its name is too similar to the newspaper it mocks, a move that critics decry as a dangerous legal precedent for freedom of expression.
Hardline Buddhists Drive Sri Lanka to Drop Muslim Halal Labeling
Religious tensions in Sri Lanka are on the rise after Islamic clerics facing massive protests from militant Buddhists put an end to the island's widespread halal food labeling system.
Coca Cola Machine ‘Out of Order’ in Australia
A nationwide campaign against Coca Cola has followed their successful legal challenge to container deposit legislation in the Australia's Northern Territory. An activist group reacted by putting “Out of Order” signs on Coca Cola vending machines in all capital cities.
Dominican Republic Wins World Baseball Classic
The hearts of the Dominicans are rejoicing thanks to their incredible performance during the III Baseball World Classic. On March 19, 2013, the Dominican team obtained the definite victory of the III Baseball World Classic 2013, after defeating the Puerto Rican national team 3-0
Panama Bids Farewell to ‘Red Devil’ Buses
Panama says goodbye to its traditional transportation system and the buses known as "red devils." Nevertheless, the transition process is traumatic and complicated for hundreds of riders.
Accidental Email Exposes Trolls of Governing Party in Spain
The Balearic Popular Party of Spain sent an email meant for its trolls to the media, which included instructions about the news that they should comment on, and advice on ways to intervene in commentary.
Chinese Microblogger Detained After Questioning Dead Pigs Scandal
The dead pigs scandal in Shanghai has been a hot topic online for the past two weeks, yet one poet's voice on this issue has lead to her detention.
Saudi Minister Threatens a Twitter User Online
Saudi Arabia's Information and Culture Minister Abdelaziz Khoja allegedly threatened to sue a Twitter user – for insulting him on the microblogging platform. The user called the minister a "remote control" in the hands of those with money and power and the minister responded that he could sue him, if he confessed his name.
Hackers Publish Turkish Mayor's Phone Number in Tit-for-Tat Cyber Attack
A group of Turkish hackers who call themselves Redhack have published the mayor of Ankara's cell phone number on Twitter in retaliation against him for publicizing the cell phone number of a college student.
Puerto Rico Second in the Caribbean Final of the World Baseball Classic
Although Puerto Rico did not win the World Baseball Classic, the country played memorably, managing to position itself as the number two team. Twitter users congratulated the Dominican Republic, which became the first undefeated team to win a World Baseball Classic, while expressing the deep pride they felt for the Puerto Rican national team.
Cyprus Cuts Access to Banks Amid Bailout Crisis
If you are in Cyprus, your life's savings hangs in the balance, as the government deliberates a controversial €10 billion bailout agreement reached with the Eurogroup that puts the country's saving deposits down as collateral.
Spanish Youth in Exile: “We're Not Leaving, They're Kicking Us Out!”
In 2012, the number of Spanish youth (15-29) residing abroad grew to 302,623. They have left for economic reasons related to the lack of employment in Spain. The Juventudes sin Futuro (Youth WIthout a Future) movement has launched a campaign entitled "We're not leaving, they're kicking us out" with a Twitter hashtag with the same name.
As Brazil's Media Struggles, Magazine Axes Striking Staff
Eleven journalists were sacked from alternative Brazilian magazine Caros Amigos in March 2013 after going on strike against poor working conditions, becoming the latest casualties of Brazil's struggling media industry.
Tokyo Smog Stokes Fears of China's Spreading Pollution
Alarm is growing in Japan that neighboring China's jaw-dropping levels of air pollution may be wafting over the island nation.
“Suitcase Mood”: Why Ukrainians Are Moving Abroad
Some 6.5 million of Ukrainians, or 14.4 percent of the population, are emigrants. The theme of leaving Ukraine temporarily or for good comes up regularly in conversations that Ukrainians are having online.