Stories from 26 November 2011
Video: Plural+ 2011 Awards Young Filmmakers
Youth from around the globe were awarded in New York for their thought-provoking short films showing their proposals for making society more peaceful and multicultural by addressing the topics of diversity, migration and social inclusion.
“Let Us Dream”: Demonstrating Against Unified Job Hunting in Japan
On Labor Day, students gathered in Tokyo and Kyoto to rally against the practices of job hunting for fresh graduates.
India: Youth Slaps Minister Over Price Rise and Corruption
On 24 November, India's Agriculture Minister, Mr Sharad Pawar, was slapped on the face by a youth as he was leaving a government building. Harvinder Singh was apparently fed up with the growing inflation, corruption and graft cases in the country and decided to hit out in protest.
Bangladesh: The Perils Of Dividing Dhaka City Corporation
Sazid Khan thinks that the decision of the Bangladesh government to split the Dhaka City Corporation into two zones will create more problems rather solving the existing ones.
DR of Congo: How Will the Elections Unfold?
The presidential elections in the DRC are scheduled for November 28. The stakes are evidently high, given the history of civil conflict. Many observers have highlighted the major events during the campaign, and attempted to forecast how the elections will unfold.
Japan: WordCamp Tokyo is Tomorrow
WordCamp Tokyo 2011 will be held November 27th. The organizers are running a relay blog [ja] that describes why you should go and what's happening behind the scenes.
Mozambique: Poetry on trees
The Mozambican literary collective Movimento Kuphaluxa has shared on Facebook and on its blog a series of poems exhibited on the city of Maputo's historic acacia trees. Some well-known writers like Mia Couto are featured (FB link), but most poems are from younger writers.
Iran: Social networks blamed for terror plots
Commander-in-Chief of the Iranian Police says social networks have been used for terror plots in Iran. Esmaeil Ahmadi Moghadam has urged ECO countries to establish a unified intelligence system to thwart these crimes.
Mali, Niger: Tuareg Voices Barely Heard Over the Sounds of War
Since the start of the war in Libya, many security and political experts have warned against potential Touareg threats in Mali and Niger. Is it a real threat or mere speculations? For the moment, the only place to hear the voices of the Tuareg is on the internet.
North Korea's Cellular Network Surpasses 800,000 3G Subscriptions
The North Korea Tech wrote about a surge of new sign-ups for Koryolink, North Korea’s nationwide 3G cellular network. It is believed 809,000 North Koreans have subscribed to Koryolink whose 75 percent of stake is owned by the Egyptian company, Orascom Telecom.
South Korea: Judge's Facebook Post Criticizing Free Trade Deal Went under Fire
A judge's Facebook post criticizing the current President and the free trade agreement with the United States went under fire. The Supreme Court has decided to refer him to the ethics committee for violating political neutrality. Some citizen journalists have secured the judge's deleted post [ko] in their blogs.
India: The Camel Fair Of Pushkar
Nisha J shares her experience of spending a day at the famous Camel Fair of Pushkar, a holy town of the Ajmer district in the state of Rajasthan, India.
Bhutan: The King Visits Japan
Dorji Wangchuk posts a photo essay on the recent state visit of the Bhutanese royal couple to Japan.
Russia: “Anti-Gay” Bill Postponed Till Nov. 30
Siberian Light reports that the second reading of the “anti-gay” bill in the St. Petersburg City Duma has been postponed till Nov. 30 – “to allow time for a face-saving review of the legislation’s wording.” The AllOut.org's petition calling “leaders around the world to reach out to their counterparts in...
Maldives: The Changes The 17th SAARC Summit Brought
Hassan Ziyau describes how the preparations for the 17th SAARC Summit brought astonishing changes in Addu and Fuvahmulah, the two atolls where the summit was held.