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Culture news

Salman Rushdie speaks out in first interview since New York attack

In his first interview since being attacked with a knife at a literary event in New York last year, Salman Rushdie expressed gratitude for having survived the incident

Culture news

Acclaimed Iranian director Jafar Panahi is released from Evin Prison

His release from the notorious Evin Prison in Tehran was confirmed by the Independent Center for Human Rights in Iran and Panahi’s lawyer

Culture news

What does ‘Mascara’ mean on TikTok?

The word “mascara” no longer refers to that bristled brush that enhances your eyelashes; it has taken on a whole new meaning on TikTok, which has a language of its own...

Turkey

Turkey set to block Sweden's NATO bid after Quran burning

Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has told Sweden not to expect his backing for its bid to join NATO after Swedish police allowed a Quran to be burned by a protestor outside the Turkish embassy in Stockholm.

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Culture news

Charlie Hebdo enrages Iran again with new cartoons deemed offensive

France is facing fresh rage from Tehran after Charlie Hebdo published images depicting Iran's Supreme Leader in cartoons considered vulgar by Tehran.

Culture news

London Arabic bookshop set to close after nearly 45 years

The Middle Eastern specialist bookshop stands for freedom of thought and expression as well as cultural diversity.

USA

Twitter CEO Musk says he will reinstate suspended journalist accounts

Elon Musk has lifted the suspensions of the Twitter accounts of several journalists he had banned a day earlier, after the second poll he conducted on the topic went against his preferred outcome.

Tech News

Twitter reinstates banned journalists after Elon Musk online vote

There had been an outcry from the EU and United Nations over freedom of speech concerns when Elon Musk suspended accounts of several journalists.

Tech News

UN slams Twitter’s move to ban journalists as EU threatens sanctions

The United Nations says it's "very disturbed" by Twitter’s suspension of several journalists, and warns of a "dangerous precedent".

Culture news

11 men convicted of cyber harassing French singer Eddy de Pretto

The Paris Criminal Court ruled that it's unlawful to engage in "digital lynching" of a person whose public commitments and sexual orientation have had the misfortune of offending certain extremists.

Culture news

CULTURE RE-VIEW: A look back at this day in history

On 6 December 1933, federal judge John M. Woolsey ruled that Ulysses by James Joyce was not obscene.

World News

More countries are moving towards authoritarianism - report

A new report by the International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance (IDEA) finds that more countries are moving towards authoritarianism as democracy erodes worldwide.

Health news

Twitter stops enforcing COVID misinformation policy

Public health experts and social media researchers warn the change could fuel a spike in misleading claims about COVID-19 and vaccines.

World News

Journalists and protestors continue to be silenced in Russia, says Amnesty International

A new report reveals that Russian authorities have developed a "sophisticated system of restrictions and severe reprisals to crush public protests".

Culture news

Meloni vs Saviano: The fight to save freedom of speech in Italy

Far-right Italian prime minister Giorgia Meloni is aiming at famed anti-mafia journalist Roberto Saviano for his criticism of her immigration policies.

Food and Drink

Turkey arrests union head for calling bread-eating societies "stupid"

Cihan Kolivar, chairman for the Union for Bread Producers in Turkey, had been speaking to the Haberturk news channel about the rising price of bread in the country.

Tech News

Will users ditch Twitter for Mastodon after Musk's takeover?

While conservative and right-wing users celebrate Musk’s takeover, liberals discuss ways to boycott and ditch Twitter.

Tech News

Why does Musk want Twitter? It may have something to do with your data

Researchers and rights groups are concerned about the amount of data Elon Musk’s Twitter buyout will allow him and how far he will take free speech.

Tech News

Russia fines TikTok over LGBT material, Twitch over Ukraine content

The fines mark the latest step in Moscow's long-running dispute with Big Tech.

Culture news

Latvia's Centre for Contemporary Art is supporting a revolution

What role does art have in defending free speech and freedom of expression? Latvia's Survival Kit, the largest contemporary art show in the Baltics, explores that question through speech and sound.