Stories from 6 June 2013
Yemen's Jailed Revolutionary Youth Go on Hunger Strike
In December 2011, 22 youth were abducted during the uprising against ex-president Ali Abdullah Saleh. Five of them still remain in jail, without charges or trial. Yemeni activists and netizens are now calling for their release, writes Noon Arabia.
Saudi Arabia Blocks Instant Messaging App Viber
Following the Saudi threat to block encrypted communication software unless the government is allowed to spy, the instant messaging application Viber was blocked earlier yesterday. The website can no longer be accessed and the application does not connect.
Russians & Cigarettes: A Hard Goodbye
The Russian government aims to end Russia's love affair with cigarettes, and a new law passed June 1 will ban smoking in a wide array of public spaces, paving the way to even stricter regulations in the future. Not everyone in the Russian blogosphere, however, is happy about it.
Mozambique: Mia Couto's 30 Years of Literature Honored with Prestigious Prize
Mia Couto's three decades at the helm of Mozambican literature was acknowledged on the 27 May when he was awarded the 25th Camões Prize in literature, worth 100,000 euros, and widely considered the most prestigious prize for Portuguese-speaking writers. Mia's literature portrays Mozambicans and reflects on issues related to decolonization and identity.
Mumbai's Newspaper Reading Centers Dwindle
Vachanalays (newspaper reading centres) are a familiar sight in most neighbourhoods in Bombay where locals read the papers and discuss the day’s news. Sans Serif reports how they are slowly going out of fashion. The blog also highlights photoblogger M.S. Gopal's excellent photo essay on the subject at Mumbai Paused.
South Korea's History-Challenged Youth
As younger generation shows a serious lack of historical knowledge even to the point of calling [ko] an iconic democratic movement a rebel, South Korean net users set up an online petition page [to] calling the government to make history a mandatory subject in Korean SAT. Only two days have passed so far,...
Norwegian Music Video Offends Kyrgyzstanis
For small, landlocked and little-known countries such as Kyrgyzstan, "self-branding" is a slow and difficult process. So, when stars from foreign countries arrive to shoot a video in your countryside, the hope is that the message they take home with them is the right one. But unfortunately, it doesn't always work out like that.
Without Prospects, Brazil's Transvestites Fall Victim to Human Trafficking
Transvestite prostitutes say they are willingly traveling to São Paulo in order to get silicone implants in their breasts, buttocks, and other body parts to prepare for their World Cup clientele. But the situation can still be considered human trafficking. The second in a series of reports by Andrea Dipp from Agência Pública.
PHOTOS: ‘A Window into Paraguay for the World’
In the blog Yluux, Paraguayan photographers Tetsu Espósito and Elton Núñez cover different themes and stories through photos of nature, religious traditions, sports, music, and more.
How to Type Ghanaian Characters on Android
Mighty African explains how he discovered a tool to help him use Ghanaian characters on Android phones: Earlier today, I was looking to type something in Twi on my phone so I needed ɛ and ɔ characters so I proceeded to Nyamfowa.com to copy them and use. And then it...
