Oddly Enough, this week, features unique stories like the longest painting in North America that was restored, YouTube’s cyber security challenges, Pakistan’s social media crackdown, China’s law that allows secret detention and a mysterious radiation cloud that appeared over Europe and Russia.
Whaling Voyage: The Longest Painting In North America Restored
‘Grand Panorama of a Whaling Voyage Round the World’ painted in 1848 by Benjamin Russell and Caleb Purrington was restored by the New Bedford Whaling Museum. It depicts whaling voyages to far off destinations such as Fiji and Cape Horn. The painting deteriorated after it was toured around America, the paint dried and chipped off. It took the museum $400,000 to conserve it. The painting is about 1,300 feet long and eight feet tall. It was last displayed in its entirety in 1969.
You can read this story here.
Digital Safety: Brands See Ads Placed Before Paedophilic Content On Youtube
Brands like Mars, Lidl, Mondelez and more have pulled out of advertising on YouTube. This move came after an investigation that was conducted by Britain’s Times newspaper which showed that the ads were placed before videos of scantily clad children. The investigation further said that YouTube had allowed such predatory content to be easily searchable and had not lived up to its digital safety policies.
You can read this story here.
Curbing Dissent: Pakistan’s Social Media Crackdown
Zafar Achakzai was interrogated on an early morning by armed men in Pakistani paramilitary uniforms. They did not tell him the reason why he was being interrogated except that he used Facebook a lot. Despite opposition from activists, the Pakistan Electronic Crimes Act was recently passed. The law was cleared under the pretext of protecting Pakistan’s defence or for maintaining public order. Since then, summons have been issued to numerous people by the Federal Investigating Agency, asking them to explain their social media activity.
You can read this story here.
Residential Surveillance: A Different Kind Of ‘House Arrest’ In China
Article 73 of China’s Criminal Procedure Law was amended in 2012. This amendment allows the country to detain its own people for ‘state security’. Lawyers, activists, dissidents are whisked away into a secret detention. According to the testimonies given by people in a new book, ‘The People’s Republic of the Disappeared’, harsh treatment at detention involves abuse, beatings, sleep deprivation and humiliation among much more.
You can read this story here.
Mysterious Cloud: Radiation cloud spreads over Europe, Russia
In September, a cloud of radiation billowed over Europe. Now, Russia too has acknowledged its existence. The radiation cloud comprises of the radioactive element called Ruthenium 106. Ruthenium is a rare transition metal and the isotope is used to treat cancers like melanoma. It is also a by-product of an element used in nuclear reactors. But, the possibility of a nuclear accident has been ruled out, as a cause of this cloud. The source of this radiation is still being investigated.
You can read this story here.
- #OddlyEnough18: Guard Reunites Baby Elephant With Mother And More! - January 1, 2018
- Safety Remains Biggest Concern For Women Say Pune’s Authors - December 29, 2017
- Commemorating 200 Years Of The Epic Battle Of Bhima-Koregaon - December 28, 2017
