17 November 2009

Stories from 17 November 2009

Colombia: Video interview of 12 year old drug dealer

  17 November 2009

Giovanni Lopera interviews Jorman, a 12 year old in a Colombian working class neighborhood who tells how he deals drugs to help at home with money, giving half his earnings (6 USD for 6 hours) to his mother. He was kicked out of school when they discovered his illicit activities...

Pakistan: Perils Of Wider Provincial Autonomy

  17 November 2009

Reacting on the news of a possible amendment of the constitution of Pakistan, which will give wider provincial autonomy, Khan Zia opines that this may result in breaking up of the country in a very short space of time.

Italy: Online activism fires up “No Berlusconi Day”

  17 November 2009

A group of bloggers-citizens has launched an International protest movement to demand the resignation of Italy's Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi due to scandals and corruption trials. More than 280,000 people have pledged to participate in the December 5 rallies.

Sri Lanka: The Mighty Multinationals

  17 November 2009

Serendipity from Minneriya, Sri Lanka believes that a level playing field is essential to protect the local industry from the mighty multinationals who have competitive advantage and “it is the duty of the Government to level it”.

Japan: Magazine for People Living wjith Facial Scars

  17 November 2009

Lisa Katayama at Tokyo Mango brings our attention to a new Japanese magazine for people living with facial scars, called “My Face”: “The magazine will include interviews, medical information, and advice on how to fight discrimination at work and at school for the estimated one million people in Japan who...

Japan: Top 60 Expressions of 2009

  17 November 2009

Pink Tentacle has translated into English all of the “Top 60 Japanese words/phrases of 2009″, released by publisher Jiyu Kokuminsha: Included are plenty of references to Japan’s recent political shake-up, the ailing economy, and the blurring of traditional gender roles.

Japan: Deer wrangling and antler-cutting in Nara

  17 November 2009

Nestled in the heart of the Kansai region of Japan, Nara City exudes a subdued atmosphere unique from its neighboring Osaka and Kyoto. If there is a particular symbol of Nara recognized nationwide, it is either the Buddha of Todai-ji (東大寺) or the deer of Nara Park. Over the long...

Cameroon: On Catholicism, abortion and homosexuality

  17 November 2009

Rosemary Ekosso discusses the politics of abortion and homosexuality in Cameroon: “As a woman, I have learnt by trial and error (mostly error) not to believe automatically what large groups of men tell me. When the group is as large and exclusive of females (don’t give me that guff about...

Kenya: Who will pay for Kenya's new constitution?

  17 November 2009

Opalo wonders who will pay for Kenya's new constitution: “290 members of parliament. 100 Senators. Several regions and more than 70 counties. These are among the new burdens that will be added onto the load currently weighing down the Kenyan taxpayer.”

Mali: My Mali visa experience

  17 November 2009

Dino's visa experience at Mali embassy: “My Mali experience made me think about the visa experiences both with South -South travels, and South-North travels. I also thought of what it meant to be a North-South traveller. South-South Travels were clearly much easier than South-North travels. Just recently, there has been...

Suriname: Welcome to the Jungle

  17 November 2009

For Paramaribo SPAN, Christopher Cozier visits artist Daniel Djojoatmo, whose work “discuss[es] the predicament of certain narratives of development which are, at their inception, ill-fated and at the disposal of the jungle.”

Dominica: Billboards Galore

  17 November 2009

“There are rules. Unfortunately the guardians of those rules are afraid of their paymasters, and the other service providers have no respect for them”: Caribbean Man takes issue with illegal billboards in Dominica.

Trinidad & Tobago: Banned from Parliament?

  17 November 2009

A journalist may be banned from Parliament, prompting Nicholas Laughlin to post a statement by the Media Association of Trinidad and Tobago and Edmund Gall at KnowTnT.com to post his perspective.

Barbados: Another Downgrade

  17 November 2009

“Barbados’ debt may be headed for the dread ‘junk’ status if it is downgraded another notch,” says Living in Barbados, adding: “To change things needs more than a shift in confidence. It needs policies that attack rapidly the size of the debt.”