Stories from 25 February 2015
Russian Lawmakers Propose Banning Women Under 40 from Smoking
“Female smoking,” the legislation’s explanatory note says, “harms the body’s reproductive system, causing irreparable damage to the genetic stock of the nation.”
ISIS Burns Mosul Library in Iraq, Destroys Thousands of Valuable Manuscripts and Books
While reports on the attack on Mosul Library have just made the headlines, UNESCO says attacks on libraries, museums and universities have been going on for several months.
Belarus Bans Tor and Other Anonymizers
Belarus is banning anonymizers, typically used to circumvent government censorship and reach online resources banned inside the country, including many of the opposition websites.
Peru’s Mosques: Pearls of Latin America’s Muslim Immigrants
Global Voices takes a look to two mosques in Peru, in Southern Tacna and the capital, Lima.
Lunar New Year Envelopes Get a Rainbow Twist for Gay Acceptance in Hong Kong
One activist group handed out the traditional envelopes, but instead of money they contained real-life stories of the challenges that gay and lesbian people face during the holiday.
Facebook Campaign Garners Iranian Journalist Masih Alinejad Women's Rights Award
Iranian journalist wins Women's Rights Award for her Facebook page "My Stealthy Freedom."
Remembering Ukraine's ‘Heavenly Hundred’
"It's dangerous and frightening, and today one must be [in the east], like one had to be in Kyiv a year ago. Maidan has moved. It's now at the frontline."
The ‘Spy Cables’ Reveal Inconvenient Truths about Israel's Mossad
Al Jazeera and The Guardian newspaper have released leaks from spy agencies across the world. Here are the first few stories pertaining to Israel's Mossad.
‘Ministry of Truth’ Recruits Ukrainians for ‘Internet Army’
Ukrainian Ministry of Information Policy has launched a website to recruit Ukrainian social media users for a government-run "Internet Army."
Trinidad & Tobago Has ‘Carnival Mentality’. Is That Necessarily a Bad Thing?
Carnival mentality refers to the carefree attitude on display at Trinidad and Tobago's biggest party. Some argue the term should represent industriousness -- Carnival takes a lot of work.
Disabilities Are No Obstacle to These Spirited Cricketers in Nepal
Be it spinal injury or visual impairment, these disabilities won't ever stop dozens of spirited hearts from relishing the fervour of the World Cup.
South Korea's Young Workers Earn ‘Passion Wages’, Meaning Hardly Anything at All
The buzzword "passion wage" reflects harsh conditions young South Korean people face nowadays in the workforce -- low or no pay to pursue their passion.
Here Is What You Can Do in Kyiv if You Have One Dollar
What can a dollar buy you in Kyiv, Ukraine? Quite a few things, actually! An enterprising social media user collected the most interesting ideas in a blog post.
