Stories from 29 July 2012
Colombians Celebrate Unexpected Silver Medal
On Saturday, July 28, Rigoberto Urán became the first Colombian to win a medal in the 2012 Summer Olympic Games in London. He finished second at the men's road race final, behind veteran cyclist Aleksandr Vinokurov from Kazakhstan.
Nepal: Lumbini Impressions – An Opportunity Lost
Ujjwal Acharya opines that “a little more focus on development of Lumbini (birthplace of Buddha) could bring fortunes to Nepal in religious tourism and important history to the insight of Buddha’s life to the world.
Pakistan: Hindu Boy Converted to Islam in Live Telecast
A Ramadan special on a private TV channel is making news in Pakistan. Controversial TV show host Maya Khan, invited a religious scholar to convert a young Hindu boy to Islam live on her show. But some say the conversion was forced.
Jamaica: Campaign to Exonerate Marcus Garvey – Part 2
Jamaican diaspora blogger Geoffrey Philp has been working tirelessly to gather signatures for the online campaign to exonerate Marcus Garvey, who, in the early 1920s, was convicted and sentenced to prison on charges of mail fraud involving his Black Star Line shipping company. In this follow-up post, Geoffrey discusses why he thinks it is important for Garvey's name to be cleared and why it should be done under the Obama administration.
Brazil: Project Discusses Political Campaign Sign Litter
Few months ahead of municipal elections in Brazil, the campaign Quem sujou agora, vai sujar depois [Who litters now, will litter afterwards] aims to raise awareness on how political candidates make Brazilian towns dirty during election campaigns. The project's page on Facebook [pt] gathers denouncing photos and videos sent by...
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.
World: Nerd Olympics
When nerds follow the Olympic Games, a hashtag like #Nerdlympics is born. Find our favourite tweets in the hashtag here
Brazil: Board of Social Communication Under Criticism
The Observatório do Direito à Comunicação, website of communication rights in Brazil, reports that [pt] the Board of Social Communication, elected by National Congress on July 17, is under criticism as the list of candidates was concealed and voting session was unannounced. Board members analyze, report and make recommendations on...
Thailand: Doughnuts for National Reconciliation
Supporters of Thailand’s ex-Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, who is currently in exile, celebrated his 64th birthday by distributing 64,000 doughnuts to underprivileged children. The campaign is also said to be a 'gesture of national reconciliation.' But netizens have questioned the wisdom of distributing doughnuts instead of spending on the more essential needs of the poor
Laos: Participation in 2012 Olympics
Laos sent three athletes to the 2012 London Olympics. An employee of the United Nations World Food Programme in Laos also represented the country when she was invited to become an Olympic torchbearer early this month
East Timor: Government Sues Multinational Oil Company
The government of East Timor has sued multinational oil and gas company ConocoPhilipps for its failure to pay the right taxes and other fees. The petroleum sector is the country's biggest source of revenues.
Cambodia: Social Media and Education
Nayheak Khun discusses the role of the internet and social media in improving the delivery of education in Cambodia
Cambodia: Primer on Preah Vihear
Cambodia publishes a primer of Preah Vihear Temple which was listed as a World Heritage site by the UNESCO in 2008. The location of the temple became controversial in recent years because it's being claimed by Thailand.
Laos: Environmental Impact of Xayaburi Dam
Kirk Herbertson explains the environmental impact as construction of the controversial Xayaburi Dam along Mekong River in Laos begins.
Peru: Environmental Journalist Detained in Cajamarca
Juan Arellano reports [es] in his blog that the “environmental journalist Jorge Chávez Ortiz, known on Twitter as @chavezwar [es], has reportedly been detained a few hours ago in Cajamarca. The young journalist from Cajamarca is also responsible for the blog Mi mina corrupta (“My corrupt mine”) [es], where he...
