Stories about Photos from July, 2012
Costa Rica: Video Love Note Gets Vice-Minister Dismissed
The Costa Rican Vice-Minister of Youth Karina Bolaños was removed from her post by the Costa Rican President Laura Chinchilla after a video showing an underwear clad vice minister sending a love note to a lover was made public and spread through the web. Reactions to this news are quite varied: from censure to the Vice-Minister for making a video and not taking care to erase it, to rejection of all those who continued to spread the video and finally, repudiation to the President for removing the vice-minister from her post as if she were not the victim of this whole affair.
Democratic Republic of Congo: Rwanda Accused in North Kivu Violence
Since April 2012, North Kivu province in the eastern Congo has been destabilised by the March 23 movement (M23), comprised of fighters from the Tutsi-led National Congress for the Defence of the People (CNDP). M23 continues to cause enormous loss of life and massive population displacement within the province.
Brazil: Concerns Over Public Health in Januária
Participants of the citizen journalism project Amigos de Januária, Rising Voices grantee of 2011, are carrying on the mission to monitor the local government of Januária, in Brazil. The latest posts on their blog refer to concerns over health and public safety.
Hong Kong: Tens of Thousands Rally Against ‘National Education’
The new “red” elementary school curriculum controversy continues to ferment. In the past week, parent groups have joined in with concerned student and teacher groups to stop the government from introducing the new curriculum this September.
Bahrain: ‘Boycott the Olympics’
Many Bahrainis are calling for the Olympics to be boycotted. First, a royal, who is allegedly personally involved in the torture of athletes, is attending the games. Second, most of the Bahraini squad is made up of African athletes.
China: ‘Violent’ Pipeline Protest in Qidong
Violence that broke out during a protest against a pipeline construction project in China's Qidong province has split opinion online. The project would channel wastewater from a Japanese owned paper mill into the sea and has raised environmental concerns.
Tajikistan: Telecoms Blackout Amidst Provincial Clashes
Amidst deadly clashes in the eastern Tajik province of Gorno-Badakhshan, the authorities have cut Internet, mobile, and landline connection to the region. Online people are sharing information via social media and trying to draw international attention to the situation on the ground.
Cuba: Rights Activists Beaten, Detained by Police at Payá Funeral
Rights activists and foreign media in Cuba reported on July 23 that Cuban state police detained nearly 50 individuals as they departed from funeral services for Oswaldo Payá, leader of the famed Varela Project and a winner of the European Parliament's Sakharov Prize for human rights and democracy. Among those detailed were Guillermo Fariñas and Antonio Rodiles.
East Timor: Stunning Sunset Photos
Currently based in Dili, Timor Leste, the Australian media and policy professional Ashlee Betteridge shares on her blog Betty loves blogging four stunning photos of Dili sunsets, which “more often than not, put on a good show.”
Jordan: Thousands of Syrians Seek Refuge
The situation in Syria has led hundreds of thousands of Syrians to flee the country to neighbouring Jordan. A Jordanian government source has said that officials are preparing for the possible arrival of up to one million Syrians.
Bangladesh, Myanmar: Rohingya Repression in International Spotlight
Protests are happening around the world against Rohingya repression. Six weeks after clashes between Rohingya and Rakhaine broke out in Western Myanmar, more than 100 people have been killed and 50,000 are estimated to have been displaced.
Argentina: Athletes Tweet Photos From #London2012
Just days before the Olympic Games begin in London, Argentine athletes share photos from London on their Facebook and Twitter accounts.
Puerto Rico: It's a Bird… It's a Plane… It's Aslan!
Aslan is one of Puerto Rico's most innovative street artists. Using an iPhone and the photo application Instagram, his series of airplane photographs, #parriba (upwards), is perhaps his most ambitious & engaging project yet.
Argentina: A Tour Through Rosario and its Architecture
The city of Rosario, located 300 km from the city of Buenos Aires in Argentina, offers lovers of architecture a tour of history through its buildings, which mark the era of opulence that characterized the city. On the Internet, those who visited or are living in Rosario share photos and information on this iconic architecture.
Madagascar: Three Soldiers Killed During Uprising in Military Barracks
Three soldiers were killed and four injured during a confrontation at Ivato barracks, Madagascar on Sunday July 22, 2012. This revolt took place shortly before a meeting between the interim leader Andry Rajoelina and ex-president Marc Ravalomananana, scheduled for July 24 in the Seychelles. This latest incident follows a pattern all too familiar to Malgasians as they ask themselves who benefits from the unrest that occurs before each attempt at mediation.
India: Ethnic Clashes in Assam
Fighting between indigenous Bodo tribes and Muslim settlers in the Indian State of Assam killed at least 32 people and wounded many more. Approx. 70,000 villagers have fled their homes since the violence started and taken shelter in relief camps. More than 60 villages belonging to both Bodos and Muslims in Kokrajhar and Chirang districts were ransacked or burned.
Cuba: Pro-Democracy Leader Oswaldo Payá Dies in Car Crash
"Money from the United States is not going to drive change in Cuba. […] The problem is in Cuba, and the solution is in Cuba, between Cubans" - Oswaldo Payá in an interview before his death.
Spain: Street Protests are Unstoppable
Since the miners arrived in Madrid on strike against the 63% cuts to their sector, demonstrations haven't stopped in Spain. We share images of the protests in Madrid, the capital city.
United States: Weaving Poetry on the Streets of New York
The most recent edition of the multimedia poetry series "El Tejedor" [The Weaver] features the work of Latin American and Caribbean poets in New York City.
Bangladesh: Dhaka Becomes Capital of Islamic Culture
The Bangladesh capital Dhaka has been declared as the capital of Islamic culture along with two other cities by the Islamic Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (ISESCO). Dhaka is termed as the city of mosques, but many of the centuries old mosques are in dilapidated state.
MENA: Welcoming Ramadan
Ramadan, the ninth month in the Islamic calendar has just begun. It is a time when Muslims fast from sunrise to sunset, try to get closer to God and celebrate their blessings. Around the world, Muslims have been trying to capture the spirit of the month with photographs, sharing them on different social media websites.
