18 February 2012

Stories from 18 February 2012

Peru is Hit by Strong Rains

  18 February 2012

Juan Arellano reports [es] that the rainy season in Peru has arrived with particular strength this year. He names some areas that have been affected by the rainfall in his blog Globalizado.

Chile: Aysen Region Social Movement Gains Strength

  18 February 2012

Last year, the Aysen Region was on the national spotlight due to the controversial dam project Hydroaysén. Today people are once again paying attention to this region in the Chilean Patagonia after locals held a series of protests calling for better quality of life and lower living costs.

Armenia: Homophobia as PR for the Yerevan Municipality

  18 February 2012

Unzipped: Gay Armenia comments on homophobic comments left on the Facebook page of the new Mayor of Yerevan, Taron Margaryan, in response to recent environmental protests in the city. Noting that the discriminatory remarks were made by municipal employees, including the person responsible for public relations, the blog says that...

Egypt: Contemplating religion after sectarian clashes

  18 February 2012

Writing on the Magnum Foundation Emergency Fund's Tumblr, Rena Effendi comments on her conversations with Christians in Egypt who suffered from recent sectarian violence. The acclaimed photojournalist from Azerbaijan, a secular Muslim country, says faith is a personal issue and more about “relief from suffering than a path to forgiveness.”

Madagascar : Why Malagasies Cannot Use Paypal

  18 February 2012

The Malagasy blogger Sam bemoans on Reflexium the absence of an electronic payment system in Madagascar  [fr]: ” It is ludicrous that Malagasy people can open accounts on Paypal but cannot withdraw money from their accounts or credit it. Madagascar launched a few initiatives to have Paypal services in the country. Yet, the...

Australia: Climate Skeptics in Denial Over Heartlandgate Controversy

  18 February 2012

Allegations of the Heartland Institute funding an Australian scientist to promote climate skepticism have brought denials from fellow skeptics in response to a barrage of criticism. Funding of and by think tanks, and their independence and objectivity, is an ongoing source of online debate in Australia