Stories from 5 August 2011
Peru: The Amazon and the Diversion of the Huallaga and Marañón Rivers
Law 29,760 -also known as 'Corina Law'- was published this July in Peru, qualifying as a "public need and of national interest" the diversion of the Marañon and Huallaga rivers "for hydro-power and agricultural purposes." The projects associated with this law have caused much opposition because of the strong environmental impact they would have on the Amazon Rainforest.
The Balkans: Over Half of the Population Uses the Internet
Danica Radovanovic reports on the findings of a study of Internet usage in the Balkan region.
Sri Lanka: Should Poor Countries Play Games?
In reaction to Sri Lanka's bid for the next Commonwealth Games, which may cost billions of dollars and pose risk of corruption and controversy, Indi.ca asks should poor countries have the luxury of playing such costly games?
Sri Lanka: Experience In A National Hospital
Rajaratarala shares his satisfying experience of receiving treatment in a national hospital of Sri Lanka.
Russia: Vysotsky as Detective
War and Peace recalls the 1970s soviet television series with troubadour Vladimir Vysotsky as a tough-minded homicide detective.
Haiti: Tackling the Housing Problem
Toussaint on Haiti maintains that “kicking people out of the IDP camps without providing them with an adequate alternative will not solve the [housing] problem”, adding: “The only solution is for the government to provide some form of public housing [and] engage in serious agrarian reforms that will provide real...
Cuba: Burden of the Embargo
Iván García says that “who suffers the consequences of the embargo most is the average Cuban, not their rulers.”
Caribbean: TS Emily Passes
Bloggers share their thoughts on the near-miss that was Tropical Storm Emily in Haiti, Puerto Rico and Cuba.
Trinidad & Tobago: Tech Podcast Launched
TechTT links to a new local/regional tech podcast, which he calls “a pioneering stride for…the region.”
Cuba: Female Protesters Arrested
Reports of female political activists being “violently arrested on the steps of the old Capitol building in Havana after their demonstration in favor of freedom for the Cuban people drew support from other Cubans and tourists”, here and here.
South Korea: Extremist Grandpas Attack Labor Activists
The Korea Parents Federation, an extreme right-wing group made up exclusively of elderly Korean men has been involved in clashes with protestors demonstrating against massive layoffs in Busan, South Korea's largest port city, on July 31, 2011. Are the group conservative extremists or rather victims political manipulation?
Bahrain: Liliane Khalil, Another Blog Hoax or Propaganda?
On 2 August 2011, British blogger and PhD Student, Marc Owen Jones wrote a post about his investigation into the identity of an alleged Arab-American Journalist named Liliane Khalil. Jones traced back all the social media accounts of this persona, only to discover that most of what she had written about herself turned out to be false.
Mexico: ‘Mexodus’ Documents Middle-Class Migration Triggered by Drug Violence
Ismael Flores from Vivir México highlights [es] the work of Mexodus: “an unprecedented bilingual student-reporting project that documents the flight of middle class families, professionals and businesses to the U.S. and safer areas of México because of soaring drug cartel violence and widespread petty crime in cities such as Ciudad...
Ukraine: Court Orders Yulia Tymoshenko's Arrest
According to media reports, the court has ordered the arrest of Ukraine's ex-PM Yulia Tymoshenko (@YuliaTymoshenko [uk]). Olga Sulyma (@OlenyatkoS) addresses [en] Ukraine's President Victor Yanukovych on Twitter: “Dear Mr.President,by arresting #Tymoshenko you are one step away from handcuffing #Ukraine.”
Chile: Citizen Videos of August 4 Clashes Between Students and Police
Pepe Díaz, blackmetalmeda on YouTube, posted videos (1, 2, 3) of yesterday's clashes between students and police during an unauthorized education protest in Santiago, Chile. Also, blogger Montserrat Nicolas from Curvas Políticas shared a video (with English captions) she put together with footage by Hernán Ortega (@yoopinopino).
Colombia: University Dean Removed for Inviting Abortion Advocates
Garciamado writes [es] in the blog Dura Lex about the debate which was sparked when a private University in the city of Medellín decided to fire one of its deans [es] after she proposed inviting guests who openly favor abortion to an event commemorating 75 years of the Institution [es]....
Brazil: Proposal to Award a Homophobic Pastor Causes Outrage
The proposal of Rose Sales, councilwoman of the city of São Luis from the Communist Party of Brazil, to award a “Title of Citizen of São Luís” to the pastor Silas Malafaia has caused outrage among the defenders of gay rights. Malafaia is considered by many a homophobic preacher, tells...
Brazil: New Minister of Defence Becomes Trending on Twitter
Brazilian diplomat Celso Amorim, Minister of External Relations of the former President Lula da Silva, was appointed by President Rousseff as the new Minister of Defence, replacing the controversial Nelson Jobim, writes [pt] Hugo Albuquerque. Thousands tweeted the news as Amorim's name became [pt] a worldwide trending topic.
Brazil: Brazilian Singer Censored by Politician
Brazilian singer and songwriter Tonho Crocco is being prosecuted by the State Deputy Giovanni Cherini due to a song in which he criticizes 36 lawmakers from the state of Rio Grande do Sul for the 73% pay rise they voted for themselves, writes [pt] Jefferson da silva, from the blog...
Azerbaijan: Refugee problem
Ilkin Huseynov posts photographs of refugees in Azerbaijan on Invisible Photographer Asia and says that even 17 years after the 1994 ceasefire agreement with Armenia the problem remains urgent and demands special attention from society.
Nepal: Barcamp Returns In Kathmandu
Pradeep Kumar Singh informs that the 3rd Barcamp is scheduled to start in Kathmandu, the capital of Nepal, on the 6th of August 2011.
