Stories from 12 June 2013
René Pérez of Calle 13 Writes Song with Julian Assange
Puerto Rican hip hop star René Pérez (@Calle13Oficial) of the band Calle 13 announced today [es] through Twitter that he is with Wikileaks founder Julian Assange at the Ecuadorian Embassy in London, where Assange was given refuge after being accused of a sexual crime in Sweden. Pérez will be live on...
#Fision: Spelling Mistake Trends in Peru
On the day of the football match between Peru and Colombia for the qualifying stage for the Brazil 2014 Football World Cup, a well-known Peruvian artist wrote [es] “fision” instead of “afición” (“supporters” in Spanish) in a tweet where she was repeating a cheer that can be translated as: “Peru...
Simultaneous “Sit-ins for Freedom” Held Across Saudi Cities
Small groups of Saudi women held simultaneous “Sit-ins for Freedom” across Saudi cities on June 10th, 2013, which were called for by anonymous advocacy group @almonaseron [The Supporters] to call for release of their imprisoned relatives. As a result, over 140 protesters, men and women, were arrested by Saudi forces during the previous two days.
No Witnesses? No Rape, Says Pakistan's Islamic Council
A ruling by Pakistan's Council of Islamic Ideology (CII) dismissing DNA as primary evidence in rape cases has received much flak from activists in the country. The ruling has its fair share of supporters though, with some happy that there is a legitimate institution pondering religious issues in Pakistan.
Cuba Increases Internet Access From Designated Public Centers
Cuba opened 118 public centers with Internet access on the island. Called Nauta, the service can be requested in any Cuban State Telecommunications (ETESCA) commercial unit that has partnered with the program.
PRISM Infects Russia with Cyberwar Scare
Since last week, when the world learned about PRISM, Russian state officials have expressed renewed concerns about foreign social networks posing a national security threat. Deputy Prime Minister Dmitri Rogozin recently told reporters that websites like Facebook and Twitter are elements of a larger American campaign against Russia.
Chile's First Transgender Congressional Candidate Steps Down
Valentina Verbal campaigned to make history as Chile’s first transgendered congresswoman. Had she won, Chile’s LGBT community would have representation in the national Congress before most other countries around the world.
Should Kyrgyzstan Ban Tablighi Jamaat?
Following the lead of neighboring countries, Kyrgyzstan is debating banning the activities of Tablighi Jamaat, a controversial non-political movement which aims to bring Muslims towards a deeper embrace of Islamic religious practices. The issue of Tablighi Jamaat has divided political and religious leaders as well as ordinary people in the country.
