Stories from 16 August 2012
Pakistan: Shia Target Killings Continue
On August 16, 2012, gunmen stopped a passenger bus in Mansehra, pulled 20 Shia Muslims off and killed them in cold blood. This is the third incident of targeted killing against the Shia community in Pakistan in the last 6 months. A netizen comments: "Imagine if the first target killing incident in #Pakistan was dealt with judiciously, we would not have been mourning #gilgit today!"
Pakistan: Attack on Military Base in Kamra
In the early hours of August 16, 2012, gunmen launched an attack on Minhas, a high value air force base located in Kamra, near the capital Islamabad in Pakistan. After a fierce battle that lasted five hours, Pakistan's military was able to regain control of the base.
Uganda: Anonymous Backs Gay Pride, Hacks Government Websites
"Hacking government websites to “help” victims of state-sponsored homophobia? Who does that? I think this extremist violent intervention MUST STOP." - Ugandan gay rights activist.
Puerto Rico: An “Activated” Space for School Athletics
Photojournalist José Jiménez talks about his project, Activao, an online space dedicated exclusively to covering school athletics in Puerto Rico. Going beyond being a specialized medium for sports, the project is, above all, a space with a social mission for young people.
Ecuador Grants WikiLeaks Founder Julian Assange Asylum
After much anticipation, Ecuador announced it will grant political asylum to WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange. Assange is currently inside the Ecuadorian embassy in London. Twitter has been buzzing with reactions from citizens and the main protagonists in this case, like WikiLeaks, Julian Assange, and the UK's Foreign and Commonwealth Office.
Iran: Mourning for earthquake's victims
A video film was posted in You Tube where a series of earthquakes’ photos are exposed and people are invited to stop all activities in all places including economic, educational and trade centers on Thursday, 16th of August.Two earthquakes hit the northwest region in Iran, East Azarbaijan province on Saturday,...
The Nazi Past of the Father of Colombian Anthropology
Cristina Vélez posts [es] her thoughts about “Nazi intellectuals” in her blog after it was revealed [es], at an academic Congress in Vienna, that Austrian-born Gerardo Reichel-Dolmatoff (1912-1994), considered the “father of Colombian anthropology,” had been a member of the Nazi party and the SS in Germany before World War...
Iran: Disparity between conservative opinion blogs
A report in Storify shows the disparity between conservative bloggers in Iran, from Ramadan to murder of Muslims in Myanmar.
DR of Congo: Congolese Star Koffi Olomidé Indicted for Assault and Battery
Congolese renown rhumba singer Koffi Olomidé was indicted for assault and battery [fr] on his producer in Kinshasa. His trial begun on wednesday. Olomidé was previously charged with rape and sequestration in february in Paris.
Côte d'Ivoire: Armed Men attack Army Positions in Abidjan, Dabou and at the Liberian Border
Bernard Assandé narrates the latest attack [fr] on the Force Républicaine de la Côte d'Ivoire (FRCI, the national army of Côte d'Ivoire) in Dabou on August 15. The army regained control of the city after a night of confrontation. On August 6, 7 people were killed in Abidjan [fr] after similar attacks....
Ecuador Grants Political Asylum to WikiLeaks Founder Julian Assange
#AsiloAssange (Assange Asylum) is a local Trending Topic on Twitter in Ecuador as netizens from all over the world react to Ecuador's decision to grant asylum to WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange. “Gracias a Ecuador” (“Thank you Ecuador”), the words tweeted by an unofficial Julian Assange account (@JulianAssange_), is a worldwide...
Greece: August 15 Celebration Overshadowed by Brutal Athens Murders
On August 15, 2012, as user @northaura points out: “Greece celebrates the Assumption of Mary, one of the biggest Greek orthodox days”, yet “2 people are found murdered thrown in a dustbin”. Journalist and human rights activist @NikoAgo had earlier tweeted [el] about the discovery of two murdered people in an Athens...
Syria: #InMySyria the Streets Will Be Full of Freedom
Syrian netizens are dreaming of a new dawn for their country, where people breathe freedom, live in equality and sectarianism is a thing of the past. Check out their vision for the future under the hash tag #InMySyria on Twitter.
Ecuador: WikiLeaks Releases “Statement on UK Threat to Storm Ecuadorian Embassy”
WikiLeaks has released a “Statement on UK Threat to Storm Ecuadorian Embassy and Arrest Julian Assange.” The statement reads: “In a communication this morning to the government of Ecuador, the UK threatened to forcefully enter the Ecuadorian embassy in London and arrest Julian Assange. […] This threat is designed to...
Peru: Amazon Officially Inaugurated as Nature's Wonder
On Monday, August 13, the city of Iquitos was the scene of colourful celebrations marking the official inauguration of the Amazon as one of the New Seven Wonders of Nature. Netizens shared diverse reactions to this new recognition for the Amazon.
