Stories from 25 June 2013
Tamim Bin Hamad Named New Qatar Emir
Former Qatari ruler Shaikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani handed power today to his fourth son, Shaikh Tamim. Doha News maintains a live blog here to cover the story.
New Regulations for Skype and Viber in Bahrain
“Security considerations” are being cited as reasons behind new regulations which could put an end to the use of popular services such as Skype, WhatsApp, Viber and Tango in Bahrain. A government official says a study is being conducted to regulate Voice Over Internet Protocol (VoIP) applications - popular services, whose use is costing telecommunication companies.
Saudi Forces Hunt and Kill ‘Wanted’ Protester in Residential Area
According to netizen reports, Saudi Emergency Forces entered residential areas in the eastern city of Qatif over two nights, and opened fire. An innocent bystander was killed on the first night, and a man 'wanted' by authorities for protesting and demanding reform in the Kingdom, was shot dead on the second night.
Hacker Attacks on South and North Korea
Hacker collective Anonymous previously announced they will attack North Korean sites on June 25. But it took an unexpected turn as several major South Korean sites, including the website of South Korea's presidential office and those of media organizations, have been temporarily suspended. North Korea Tech explains in detail.
Indigenous Land in Panama Sold to Developers
“They said they would make a program to help people, but they really wanted our signatures to sell [the land]. They lied to us and now we have realized this,”
Protesters’ Open Letter to Brazil's President
The Free Fare Movement (Movimento Passe Livre) sent a open letter [pt] to the President Dilma Rousseff on Monday, June 24, 2013. They wrote that free public transport is a social right and criticized the violence of the Brazilian police and State during recent demonstrations led by social movements as...
Yemen, Beyond the Headlines
Yemen is a country rich in culture, heritage, and history, as well as extremely friendly and hospitable. But that doesn't make the news, and Yemen is often reduced to Al-Qaeda, poverty, and wars in Western media coverage. But through film, photography, blogging, and social media, some Yemenis are trying to change that.
Mozambique's First Civic Hackathons
Mozambique's Ministry of Science and Technology is sponsoring the country's first civic hackathons, with the support of Sweden and Finland. The second, slated for the end of June, will focus on mobile apps in natural disaster management and flooding scenarios, frequent in the country. First prize is worth €2,000.
The ‘Penis Class’ is on China's State Media
Ministry of Tofu explains the term “Diaosi”, a online buzzwords to describe a social class in China. The literal meaning of diaosi is “the fan of Penis”, it refers to the self-proclaimed Chinese underdogs who wallow in self-pity and self-mockery and the vulgar term has been adopted by state-run media.
Chinese Social Web Slams Local Dog Meat Festival
The annual dog meat festival in China’s southwestern city of Yulin in Guangxi province is a summer tradition for many. But this year the festival was met with outcry online and calls for a boycott.
