Stories from 4 July 2013
Kenya Bans NGO's Local Complementary Currency, Arrests Project Leaders
Kenyan authorities have shut down a social complementary currency project aimed at reinforcing the local economy in Kenya and arrested six of the project leaders under the pretext of counterfeiting.
Did Obama's African Tour Help or Hurt?
US President Barack Obama has finished his six-day tour of three African countries, Senegal, South Africa and Tanzania. During his visit, Obama announced a new initiative, “Power Africa”, to double access to electricity in Sub Saharan Africa. The global public opinion about the importance and impact of his tour is sharply divided.
Tajik MP is Against Mixed Marriages “Especially with Chinese“
It is rare that the deputies in Tajikistan's pliant parliament become national talking points, but Saodat Amirshoeva, a female MP with strong views about mixed marriages, is fast becoming a name on everyone's tongues.
Scholarships For Breast Enlargements in Spain?
An article written by Paloma Cervilla, in which she accuses female scholarship recipients in Spain of using their student scholarship money to pay for breast enlargements, has gotten social networkers up in arms, and they have expressed their indignation in blogs, comments, and countless tweets.
How Edward Snowden Divides Russians
When Edward Snowden left Hong Kong for Moscow, it placed Russia at the center of what had primarily been an American story. For Russians, his prolonged stay in Sheremetyevo has turned the question of what should be done with him from academic to practical, as his fate now rests largely in Russia's hands.
Snowden Air Search: “Be Strong” Morales, Latin American Presidents Tweet
One of the most complicated diplomatic scenes of recent years occurred when the airplane of Bolivia's president, Evo Morales, had to make an emergency landing in Vienna, Austria due to the alleged air transit denial by several European countries under the suspicion that he was helping whistleblower Edward Snowden exit Russia. Latin American presidents reacted to the diplomatic incident on Twitter.
VIDEO: Eviction of a Chilean School
“The Eviction” is a documentary film about our fight against the chilean educational system. We want the whole world to see how the Chilean government is treating our students.
Brazilian Weapons Firm Exports Arms to Turkey and Arab Countries
Brazilian weapons firm Condor has a strong business interest in the Middle East, where its tear gas canisters have recently been used against protesters. Brazilian investigative journalism agency Pública reports.
Obama in Africa: Catching Up with China
President Obama is touring Africa from June 26 to July 3, 2013. He recently visited South Africa after visiting Senegal. After that, moving on to Tanzania. Many commentators believe this visit is a catch-up mission with the United States trying to respond to Chinese economic growth in Sub-Saharan Africa.
Russia's #1 Social Network Attacked Abroad
On June 26, 2013 VKontakte co-founder Nikolai Durov reported that Ukrainian authorities have seized the company's Ukrainian servers.
Former Philippine President Convicted of Plunder Likens Himself to Mandela, Suu Kyi
During his inaugural speech as mayor of Manila, Joseph Estrada, a former president of the Philippines who was ousted from power and convicted for plunder, compared himself to other world leaders like Nelson Mandela of South Africa and Aung San Suu Kyi of Myanmar who also served a prison term. Many netizens disagreed with him
“#LaSegundaYaTal,” Another Significant Contribution to Twitter by the Spanish Government
On Friday, June 28, at an appearance following a meeting at the European Council in Brussels, Spanish President Mariano Rajoy coined a new expression that was trending on Twitter within an hour. "La segunda ya tal" ["the second already... such"] has become an Internet classic, working in almost any situation.
