21 August 2012

Stories from 21 August 2012

Georgia: Ancient Fortress Discovered in Tbilisi

  21 August 2012

During construction to one of Tbilisi's main streets, parts of a 5th century fortress used to defend the city were unearthed. The Young Georgians has a series of photos of the remarkable discovery, which appears on Georgian cartographer Vakkshuti's map of the capital from 1735.    

Ethiopia: Rage and Sorrow as Meles Zenawi's Death Confirmed

  21 August 2012

The official confirmation of the death of Meles Zenawi, Ethiopia’s prime minster, has stirred both rage and sorrow online. Zenawi disappeared from public view immediately after the G20 meeting in Mexico in June. He even failed to attend the 21st Ordinary Session of the African Union which was hosted in Addis Ababa in July, leaving Ethiopians at home and abroad asking, "Where is Meles Zenawi?"

Africa: Time for a Male Circumcision-Driven HIV Policy in Africa?

  21 August 2012

After overcoming much skepticism, the idea that circumcision is an effective measure in reducing HIV transmission is now globally accepted by the health professionals community and the general public. Experts and bloggers weigh in on the practicality and the effectiveness of a circumcision-driven HIV public health policy in Africa.

Debit Cards in Myanmar

  21 August 2012

Starting September 2012, Myanmar consumers would be able to use[my] debit cards serviced by the Myanmar Payment Union. Using a credit/debit card as a mode of payment in Myanmar has never been popular though it was once introduced in 2000 but cancelled in 2002.

Hong Kong: Citizens Lead Clean-Up of Typhoon Plastic Pellet Spillage

  21 August 2012

More than 150 tons of plastic pellets manufactured by SINOPEC were spilled into the sea when Typhoon Vicente hit Hong Kong this July. However, the government neither announced the incident to the public nor took action to clean-up the pollution until citizens found the plastic pellets on local beaches.

Blogs Blocked in Vietnam

  21 August 2012

Aaron Joel Santos, a blogger in Vietnam, writes about the blocking of numerous blogs in the country: “A lot of blogs seem to be blocked in Vietnam at the moment. And mine is among them. Not for anything said or posted or alluded to or hinted at. Mine is simply...

Vietnam: Human Rights Lawyer Attacked

  21 August 2012

Le Quoc Quan, a human rights lawyer based in Hanoi, Vietnam, was beaten by a group of armed men. Quan believes the attackers could be plainclothes police who wanted to silence him for his activism.

Colombia: A Demonstration in Favor of Accessibility in Transportation

  21 August 2012

The movement Fuerza Incluyente from Medellín is calling for a demonstration against the violation of rights in public transportation. Fuerza Incluyente invites those with or without disabilities to participate: “Let's remember that thousands of people don't leave their homes due to a lack of accessibility in public transportation.” The demonstration...

Guinea-Bissau: “Our Culture” in Photos

  21 August 2012

The Facebook profile of Nôkultura Associação (“Our Culture” Association), launched by Teodoro Gomes in late July, 2012, features a rich – though still small – set of photos on culture and traditions of Guinea Bissau.

Brazil: Land Dispute Between Slave Descendants and the Navy

  21 August 2012

An online petition [pt] demands the suspension of the order of eviction of Quilombo Rio dos Macacos, one of the oldest slave descendent communities in Brazil. A Technical Identification and Delimitation Report from the National Institute of Colonisation and Agrarian Reform (Incra) determined that the territory belongs to the quilombola...