· April, 2012

Stories about Weblog from April, 2012

Australia: What Would Change Your Mind on Climate?

  27 April 2012

'I Can Change Your Mind'. The scenario is simple. A wily conservative ex-politician and a young climate activist visit their ‘experts’ around the globe together. It’s a futile and inevitably failed attempt to change each other’s mind.

Panama: New Law Establishes Ministry of Culture

  26 April 2012

On April 24, 2012, the National Assembly of Panama approved yesterday the "Law of Culture", which among other things elevates the National Institute of Culture to the Ministry of Culture. The main sponsor of the law, Deputy Jose Blandon announced it yesterday on Twitter, which became a reflection of the Panamanians that approved the bill.

Chile: Reasons to Protest Again

  26 April 2012

On April 25, 2012, students took over the streets again to protest for an inclusive and good quality public education after several months of "silence". Here we share some of the reasons they gave on Twitter for renewing their protests.

Peru: The Festival of the Peruvian Cajon

  26 April 2012

The Peruvian Cajon is a very commonly used instrument in Afro-Peruvian music and Peruvian music in general. The fifth anniversary of the Cajon Festival took place this year and it was a complete success, particularly for the activity known as "La Cajoneada" that was able to gather more than 1,400 cajon players, which beat its own previous Guiness Record.

Puerto Rico: Student Detained After Performance Deemed “Indecent”

  25 April 2012

Charlene Jane González de Jesús, a student at the University of Puerto Rico, was detained by state police last Thursday, April 19 at the institution's Río Piedras campus after taking her top off in public as part of a performance art piece in protest of gender inequality. The case has ignited intense debate on blogs and social media networks.

Cuba: Resorting to Hunger Strike

  25 April 2012

Cuban netizens, primarily from the diaspora, are once again blogging about instances of police abuse in the country and how the island's justice system routinely makes hunger-strikers out of prisoners of conscience.

Accused of Molesting Children, Iranian Diplomat Leaves Brazil

  25 April 2012

An Iranian diplomat based in the capital of Brazil, Brasilia, was accused of molesting underage girls at a swimming pool on April 14, 2012. While Iran's embassy denied the allegations, and said they were the result of a "cultural misunderstanding", netizens both from Iran and Brazil didn't take long to react.

Sri Lanka: Monks Demand Demolition of a Mosque

  24 April 2012

Last Friday around 2,000 Buddhist monks and local residents staged a violent protest in Dambulla town in Sri Lanka demanding that a mosque along with a Hindu temple situated in an area designated as a Buddhist sacred zone be demolished.

Ecuador: Refugee Women and Girls Turning to Sex Work

  24 April 2012

A video documentary examines the situation with Colombian women who had to migrate across the border into Ecuador due to violence. In many cases, without being able to gain legal employment, the women and their underage daughters find themselves turning to sex-work to make a living.