Stories from 28 May 2013
Human Rights Activists Hone Digital Skills in 2013 Empowerment Lab
Eleven international human rights activists participated in this year's Empowerment Lab, a week-long training program that aims to empower digital activists who face growing threats of freedom of expression.
Syria Untold: Raqqa Lessons, From Freedom to Creativity in State Building
After the withdrawal of the Syrian army from Raqqa in March 2013, the city suffered a tremendous power vacuum, especially in public services. Syria Untold speaks to activists on the ground who describe a number of campaigns and initiatives led by young people to build the Syria millions dream of.
VIDEO: Journalist Who Fled Mexico Speaks
“I abandoned my investigative work. I will never go back to investigative reporting because of the lack of protection by the Mexican state, which should guarantee my family’s safety and my freedom of expression. Unfortunately, many journalists live with fear as they work.”
García and Toledo: Two Former Peruvian Presidents in Trouble
In recent weeks, former Peruvian presidents Alan García and Alejandro Toledo have been accused of being involved in cases of illicit enrichment and corruption. However, some believe that these accusations are meant to push them away from the political scene and prevent their participation in the upcoming presidential election.
The Trouble with Counterfeit Medicines in France
There is an area in which the harmful effects of counterfeiting are even more devastating: the pharmaceutical industry. This activity is far from marginal: the World Health Organisation (WHO) estimates that 10% of medicines manufactured are fakes.
LGBTQ Rights in Puerto Rico Slowly Improve Step by Step
A battle is currently unleashing in discussions over LGBTQ rights in Puerto Rico. In recent weeks both advances and setbacks have been seen. Groups in favor of LGBTQ rights and Christian fundamentalist groups intensely lobby to influence the Legislature.
Shock Over Chinese Teen's Graffiti in Egypt
Chinese netizen “Kongyou Wuyi” who took a trip to Egypt recently, posted on his Weibo a picture of a fraction of a wall at Egypt’s Luxor Temple. On the wall, there goes “Ding Jinhao was here.” (Check the picture below) The post soon went viral. Many Chinese netizens felt shocked and...
Brazil: Petition for Slander-Accused Journalist
There is a petition out, in the Brazilian federal state of Bahia, in support of the journalist Emiliano José. Accused of slander by the preacher Átila Brandão for reporting the preach involvement with torture against students during the military dictatorship in Brazil, José published a text in the press in...
VIDEO: Impromptu Georgian Chorus at Kyiv Airport
On May 21, YouTube user Yevgeni Melnik shared this video of a group of four anonymous Georgian men doing an impromptu performance of traditional Georgian singing and dancing at Terminal F of Kiev Boryspil International Airport. The video has gone viral among Ukrainian Internet users: as of May 28, it...
Coffee Art Goes 3D in Japan
In Japan where green tea remains the hot beverage of choice, latte art is growing phenomenon, whether it be 3D foamy creations or a vending machine that serves cappuccino with a woman's face.
Interview: Cartoonist Slams Forced Evictions in Brazil for World Cup
In an interview with Brazilian investigative journalism agency Pública, cartoonist Carlos Latuff criticizes the rash of forced evictions in Rio de Janeiro to make way for the 2014 World Cup and the 2016 Olympic Games.
Why Parastatals Have Failed in Zambia
Elias Munshya, a Zambian lawyer and paster, explains why parastatals have failed in Zambia since independence: Parastatals have never made a profit since 1964. Parastatals have been run not on a business model but on a political model. Parastatals have not had professionals running the boards but they have been...
Botswana: Stealing of the ‘Bushman's Secrets’
MyWeku reviews a documentary about stealing of the San “Bushman's secrets”: This dcoumentary [sic] paints a sad picture of how Unilever, a company that markets itself as “ the world’s largest ice cream manufacturer,” is now ironically stripping bare the Bushman’s secrets to market as a weight loss product.
British Actor Russell Brand on Woolwich
That bloke is a nut. A nut who happens to be Muslim. Blaming Muslims for this is like blaming Hitler’s moustache for the Holocaust.
