North Korea rejects U.N. statement, six-party talks

Per Market Watch, North Korea condemned the latest statement from the United Nations Security Council on Tuesday and stated it will break off six-party talks and restart its nuclear program.

Initial reaction from Twitterers in East Asia showed that some were surprised by the developments and others were not:

1. 
   XIEZIJIE (Ningbo, China) RT @BreakingNews: BULLETIN -- NORTH KOREA SAYS IT WILL BOYCOTT SIX-PARTY TALKS.！！！！！！！！！！！！！！！！！！！！！！ 14 Apr 2009 from twhirl
2. 
   klustout (Hong Kong) NKorea foreign ministry after condeming UN statement: "We have no choice but to further strengthen our nuclear deterrent..." #nkorea 14 Apr 2009 from web
3. 
   DavidFeng (Beijing, China) Thinking of leaving Twitter again now that North Korea's thinking of giving up the ghost re: the six-party talks. 14 Apr 2009 from TweetDeck
4. 
   tonyhen (Hong Kong) north korea restarts nuclear weapons programme - w3hat do you expect you (Japan-US) Twits 14 Apr 2009 from Tweetr
5. 
   alansoon (Singapore) North Korea quits 6-party talks to protest UN statement 14 Apr 2009 from TwitterFox

Related Breaking Tweets story:
U.N. to condemn North Korea launch, April 11, 2009

North Korea rejects U.N. statement, six-party talks

Featured TwitPic: Fireworks finale at Disney World

"Fireworks finale" (Posted by @nthngprsnl of Virginia at Magic Kingdom, Disney World, Orlando, Fla., April 13, 2009)

Featured TwitPic: Fireworks finale at Disney World

China releases human rights action plan

Per New York Times, China issued its first action plan on human rights promising to improve the protection of liberties that are often neglected and violated.

The document calls for measures to discourage torture, protect rights to a fair trial and uphold rights already guaranteed in the Chinese constitution but are ignored or suppressed by authorities, according to the article.

Per Xinhua News Agency, the Chinese government admitted that it still "has a long road ahead in its efforts to improve its human rights situation."

Twitter users reacted to the news with skepticism:

1. 
   cpb (Global) Hilarious! China creates a (LOL) "human rights action plan"! http://is.gd/sd68 13 Apr 2009 from web
2. 
   sanjeevn (Boston, Mass.) China Releases Human Rights Plan http://bit.ly/BGqRF Aah.. why do I react to that headline with cynicism. A planning commission in charge? 13 Apr 2009 from web
3. 
   Trish1981 (South Bend, Ind.) China releases a human rights action plan My guess is it was distributed as a pamphlet consisting mostly of pictures of happy Chinese people 13 Apr 2009 from TweetDeck
4. 
   Mofobro (Tanglin, Singapore) @weirdchina I don't know what you're smoking, but I want some of it! China will do [expletive] for human rights, minorities, polution, NOTHING! 13 Apr 2009 from TwitterFon in reply to weirdchina

Other Twitterers were more optimistic:

1. weirdchina (China) in China, as a foreigner living among the Chinese, I have learned that baby steps = progress 13 Apr 2009 from web
2. leadglobally (Park City, Utah) China delivers first human rights plan - "the times they are a changing". 13 Apr 2009 from web

China releases human rights action plan

U.S. lifts Cuba travel restrictions

Per The Washington Post, U.S. President Barack Obama is reversing several policies involving the United States' relationship with Cuba, following up on campaign promises to Cuban-Americans in Florida that changes would come.

Obama has lifted travel restrictions, eased trade embargoes, and will encourage companies to build satellite and communications infrastructure between the two nations, per the Post.

Floridian Twitterers were quick to respond to the policy changes:

1. 
   michi421 (Miami, Fla.) Well, it's about time! RT @miamiherald Some travel restrictions to Cuba will be lifted. http://tr.im/iIPO 13 Apr 2009 from web
2. 
   BettinaInclan (Miami, Fla.) and it starts... On Monday, the Obama will lift some travel and gift restrictions for Cuban Americans.... 13 Apr 2009 from TweetDeck
3. 
   cubanmike82 (Miami, Fla.) Time to plan a trip to Cuba! http://tinyurl.com/dk67my 13 Apr 2009 from web
4. 
   induce1 (Miami, Fla.) Even though I'm not even cuban, this obama/Cuba thing got me feeling emotional/happy/content in my choice/excited for the future. 13 Apr 2009 from txt
5. 
   jodybrewster (Pembroke Pines, Fla.) Holy [expletive], Obama eases restrictions on Cuba! Ok maybe Rudo is right 13 Apr 2009 from web
6. 
   Nardo58 (Cape Coral, Fla.) @ricksanchezcnn It's time now,1962 Cuban Missle Crisis has long passed,lets start with a new era of relationship with Cuba and it's citizens 13 Apr 2009 from web in reply to ricksanchezcnn
7. 
   LuieT (Hialeah Gardens, Fla.) 60 plus years of failed policy and now? CHANGE! President Obama kept his words and we are seen it now! As a Cuban-American in SouFla,Yeah 13 Apr 2009 from web

U.S. lifts Cuba travel restrictions

Amazon's LGBT literature glitch

Per guardian.co.uk, several books dealing with gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) issues had their sales rankings removed from the Amazon Web site, causing much criticism online.

An Amazon spokeswoman blamed a "glitch" for the situation and said it is being fixed, per the article.

Many Twitterers are expressing their opinions of the event, as well as the fact that it is indeed a hot topic on Twitter:

1. 
   gwynsmom (San Jose, Calif.) I guess people do read my posts after all. Got 5 msgs about 'Amazon censorship' today. Amazon is not CENSORING anyone, people!!! #amazonfail 13 Apr 2009 from TwitterFon
2. 
   sarahmanader (Vermont) It warms my heart that Twitter has been such an effective medium for the Amazon censoring issue. #amazonfail 13 Apr 2009 from TweetDeck
3. 
   seansinclair (Washington, D.C.) #Amazonfail - WTF Amazon?? All LGBT books are "adult material" but hetero erotica is not? I call shenanigans. 13 Apr 2009 from web
4. 
   surban (Madison, Wisc.) I am so miffed at Amazon. I won't shop there until they change their ridiculous prejudiced policy. 13 Apr 2009 from web
5. 
   OutHistory (Undisclosed) To sign petition protesting Amazon's "adult books policy" go to: http://tinyurl.com/d5dbo3 13 Apr 2009 from web
6. 
   Maike_R_W (Undisclosed) more than 13.000 have signed the petition against Amazon's new Adult policy. YAY US! #amazonfail 13 Apr 2009 from web
7. 
   pts (Undisclosed) People freaking out about Amazon, read this and take a deep breath: http://tinyurl.com/d279nf 13 Apr 2009 from web
8. 
   legalaid (Washington, D.C.) Amazon Anger Rises on Twitter http://tinyurl.com/cxdu59 13 Apr 2009 from web
9. 
   lbutlr (Denver, Col.) if #amazonfail indicates a anti-homosexual slant at Amazon, I think they are going to be in for a huge ass reaming. poor choice of words? 13 Apr 2009 from Canary

Some affected authors have also made their views known on the subject. Jennifer Finney Boylan (@JennyBoylan) was among them.

1. 
   JennyBoylan Trans content just a dangerous as gay content, apparently. Finally, we're included in something! #amazonfail 13 Apr 2009 from web
2. 
   JennyBoylan I'm going to give amazon one day to prove it's a "glitch". My life is no glitch, and neither is the book about my life. #amazonfail 13 Apr 2009 from web
3. 
   JennyBoylan Also: today PEN and editors at Random House immediately got on the case. Author's Guild? No response. #amazonfail. 13 Apr 2009 from web

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Amazon's LGBT literature glitch