Video Assignment

This is the link to my video assignment. It's about different Christmas celebrations in other countries.

Blog 55: Is This Really the 21st Century? Racism in Northern Italy

Time magazine has a story regarding how well racism is doing in northern Italy. It saddens me to see how little progress some people have made over time regarding race.

In this case it seems to be pushed by the Northern League Party: "The latest swipe by the Northern League attempts some kind of holiday spirit. The league-led city council in Coccaglio, a small town east of Milan, has launched a two-month sweep — from Oct. 25 to Dec. 25 — to ferret out foreigners without proper residency permits. It has been dubbed Natale Bianco, or 'White Christmas.'"

At least they are aware of the irony of preaching hate during the Christmas season, as this quote from the story illustrates: "For me, Christmas isn't the celebration of hospitality, but rather of Christian tradition and our identity," told Claudio Abiendi to the daily La Repubblica. Abendi is the brain behind the initiative and a longtime Lega Nord member.

Blog 54_Politics is easy to understand

I have never read the constitution of my own country. I try not to judge myself too harshly on this: the wordings are too complicated and well, it's long! And I bet this problem is universial.

Recently, the officials of Madagascar has come up with a solution: why not explain in with cartoon drawings?

The cartoon features images of locations where lives of normal citizens take place, such as bus stations. The idea aims at raising awareness of the changes in the country's constitution and engaging citizens, especially young people, to deepen their understanding of politics in the country.

Tahina Ramaromandray, a resident interviewed by the BBC, admitted that the cartoon book "did give young people a chance to develop their own understanding of their rights as Malagasy citizens."

"I'm not saying that I understand [the constitution] fully, but at least I got the points, the key points," he said.

"And as a citizen I think it's very important. In the end we as Malagasy people, and we as taxpayers, we do not often realise that we have so much powers. Until you read this book you never know that. So I'm really happy."

Although the idea of the project is to convey, simply, the changes of the constitution, it is difficult to explain the alternations if the country changes its constitution with every change of government. For instance, work started last year but before it was completed, there was a military-backed coup and the constitution was to be rewritten. Yet, the core of the constitution remains more or less the same.

"For example, the constitution talks of the unity of the state - and that is the same in the text for the first republic, the second republic and the third republic." Mr Jean Amie Raveloson, the head of the project explained.

Blog 53_Swiss voters said No to minarets

Earlier last month, our blog featured an entry about a referendum that was to take place in Switzerland to ban the building of minarets. On Sunday, 29th November, the Swiss voters had spoken: more than 57% of the voters and 22 out of 26 provinces voted in favour of the ban.

The proposal was brought by the Swiss People's Party (SVP), which is also the largest party in the parliament. They claimed that the shape of minarets reminded them of missels and is a symbol of Islamisation.

Martin Baltisser, the SVP's general secretary, told the BBC. "This was a vote against minarets as symbols of Islamic power."

Many are surprised by the result and feared of what happened in this often-neutral country in the heart of Europe would start a trend on the continent. Although it accepted and respected the decision, the Swiss government did initially oppose the ban, saying that it would harm the country's image, particularly in the Muslim world.

Justice Minister Eveline Widmer-Schlumpf told the BBC, "Concerns [about Islamic fundamentalism] have to be taken seriously. However, a ban on the construction of new minarets is not a feasible means of countering extremist tendencies."

She then reassured Swiss Muslims that the decision was not a rejection of the Muslim community, religion or culture. Despite her optimistic clarification, many believe that Islamaphobia has increased intensively.

"This will cause major problems because during this campaign mosques were attacked, which we never experienced in 40 years in Switzerland."The president of Zurich's Association of Muslim Organisations, Tamir Hadjipolu, told the BBC

Observers believe that the referendum result will act as a catalyst to speed up the identity search of many European countries, as a result of immigrations.

Germany is considering a new "contract" idea to bind immigrants to the country's fundamental values, such as gender equality and basic human rights.

Blog 52: Vacation Spoiler: Sunscreen kills coral

As I spend my Thanksgiving holiday visiting some family in Hawaii, I can't help but try to balance my health and the planet's well-being with a lot of frustration. You see? while I need sunscreen to protect me from the sun, the sunscreen that goes into the water is killing the corals.

National Geographic published a story on this. First I thought that maybe the sunscreen was preventing the coral to get the sun that it needed to flourish, just as it prevents the damaging rays to burn my skin, but it is not that simple:

"Four commonly found sunscreen ingredients can awaken dormant viruses in the symbiotic algae called zooxanthellae that live inside reef-building coral species.
The chemicals cause the viruses to replicate until their algae hosts explode, spilling viruses into the surrounding seawater, where they can infect neighboring coral communities.
Zooxanthellae provide coral with food energy through photosynthesis and contribute to the organisms' vibrant color. Without them, the coral "bleaches"—turns white—and dies."

The bad ingredients, if you want to read your sunscreen label are: paraben, cinnamate, benzophenone, and a camphor derivative.

One researcher says that banning sunscreen won't be necessary, and recommends two things swimmers can do to reduce their impact on coral: "Use sunscreens with physical filters, which reflect instead of absorb ultraviolet radiation; and use eco-friendly chemical sunscreens."

Blog 51_Goalkeeper got yellow card after saving cat

Goalkeeper Ivan Banovic received a yellow card after rescuing a lost cat on the pitch during a match in Croatia.

It was reported that the referee's decision has upset a lot of fans, who supported Banovic's kind act.

Ivan Banovic "picked up the wandering feline after it strayed on the pitch 20 minutes into his team's match at Sibenik." the AFP reports.

He then put it safely near a scoreboard but was penalised by the referee for leaving the pitch without permission.

Banovis's team, Sibenik, won 1-0.

Blog 50_Hungary warns Santa Claus to get flu shot

"Ho-ho-hutchiuuu!"

Santa Claus may have to make a quick stop to the hospital to get a flu shot this year before delivering gifts to all those good children around the world. Hungarian authorities advised the

bearded old man to get a vaccination to prevent the spread of flu this year.

Santa has also been warned to avoid kissing children to shaking their hands to stop the illness spreading across the country, health official said. The also pointed out that elderly, those who are overweight or chronically ill suffer the highest risk.

The new "agenda" of Santa's is due to an alarming leap of flu cases in Hungary: in a week's time, the number of flu cases increased by 22 100, party due to the H1N1 influenza.

"For Santa Clauses, prevention is especially important as they meet lots of children in early December, and therefore they face a high risk of infection," Hungary's state health authority said on its website, Reuters news agency reported.

It also added that if Santa Claus is elderly, overweight or has a chronic illness - the three highest-risked groups - a flu shot is particularly important.

Dear Santa Claus, if you do not feel well this Christmas, please try to stay indoor and rest. And if you insist on going out, please wear a mask!

Blog 49_Belgian misdiagnosed "in coma" for 23 years

An Belgian patient who was diagnosed to be in a coma for 23 years was conscious all along, but just unable to communicate.

Rom Houben, 46, became paralysed after a car accident in 1983. For 23 years, doctors thought that Mr Houben was in a coma. Until 2006, the University of Liege doctor discovered that despite the paralysis, Mr Houben's brain was working the whole time, which means that he understood what was going on around him and was trapped in his body without being able to communicate to others.

Naturally, Mr Houben was frustrated by and angry at his powerlessness to convey.

"I screamed, but there was nothing to be heard," he revealed at the German magazine Der Spiegel.

"Other people had an opinion of me," he also told the BBC. "I knew what I could do and what I was capable of but other people had a rather pathetic image of me. I had to learn to be patient and now finally we are on an equal footing."

Mr Houben's mother never gave up her hopes and has always believed that her son could communicate.

"He is not depressed, he is an optimist," she said. "He wants to get out of life what he can."

After researchers discovered that his brain was still active by using new diagnostic techniques, Mr Houben has been trained to use his right forefinger to express himself on an adapted keyboard.

His "awakening" has been highlighted in, particularly, Belgium by doctors who are researching on new ways to understand coma patients, hundreds of whom around the world could actually be conscious but just locked in paralysis - and able to feel pain, unlike a true coma patient.

"All that time I just literally dreamt of a better life. Frustration is too small a word to describe what I felt." Mr Houben tapped out on his keyboard. "I shall never forget the day when they discovered what was truly wrong with me - it was my second birth,"

A recent video has documented the latest conditions of Rom Houden.

Blog 48: Survivors

BBC News posted a report of seven men surviving two months lost in the ocean.

Two of them, unfortunately were not able to see land, as they died after being rescued, before they arrived to the hospital.

"The group - initially of eight men - told rescuers they had been making a short crossing in PNG's New Ireland area on 14 September when they ran out of petrol."

They ate drifting coconuts and crabs to survive, but the article does not give many details regarding what they drank and what the conditions were when they were found.

It is a terrible experience, that is for sure, as one person died when he jumped in the water to rescue some clothes and was unable to get back to the boat, while the rest of the crew did not have the strength to save him either.

I wish the survivors, all men from Papua New Guinea, the best both mentally and physically.

Blog47: What accent do you like?

Apparently women prefer Irish accent even over French or Italian, based on a poll by www.OnePoll.com among 5,000 women. I am not sure of the nationality of these women, as I think internationally, there couldn't be an agreement of what accent is sexy (you'll never find your own accent sexy, that's for sure).

And in my humble opinion, I am sorry but, Australian is #5? and Swedish? I don't even know how Swedish sounds like (time to meet a Swedish guy, I guess).

So if you are interested in knowing what women find sexy, here is the list, as published by the Daily Telegraph:

World's Sexiest Accents

1. Irish

2. Italian

3. Scottish

4. French

5. Australian

6. English

7. Swedish

8. Spanish

9. Welsh

10. American

Blog 46_Stolen gold stuffed in a chicken in South Africa

What better way to get away from security than to put your stolen gold in a stuffed chicken? No, it is not a joke.

A South African jewellery firm confirmed that one of its staff actually tried to use this trick to get away from the metal detectors at Browns Jewellers offices in Johannesburg, said BBC.

The thief was caught in the firm's office in Dunkeld, on Monday, with the "golden" chicken. He has been charged with attempted theft and the possession of suspected stolen goods.

It was also reported that recently, the firm had tightened security and banned females workers from wearing underwire bras because they confuse the metal detectors.

Blog 45: 20 years later in Czech Republic

Time Magazine posted a story about the 20 year anniversary of the fall of communism in the Czech Republic.

"Thousands of people in the capital, Prague, plan to participate in a reenactment of a student protest — an evocation of the event that triggered the Velvet Revolution that peacefully toppled the communist regime in what was then Czechoslovakia."

Although police tried to smash the student protest (which is not very peaceful in my opinion) they failed. The fall of the Berlin wall was like a domino effect and just a few weeks later, on Dec. 29, "Vaclav Havel, a dissident playwright who had spent several years in prison, was elected the country's first democratic president in a half century by a parliament still dominated by communist."

This was a good example of a peaceful transition and the country has been pretty stable for the last two decades. The situation is far from perfect, as many citizens are unhappy with the current situation, but at least, they can complain about it now. As a student leader quoted in the story says: "most people might be disgusted by politics, but 20 years ago we gained the essential thing: freedom."

Blog 44: Turism to die for?

The Swiss government is not happy that a 50-year-old legislation that allows for euthanasia is being used by non-Swiss citizens (aka: tourist) to end their lives.

Time Magazine has a full story in how the law works in the European country and some examples of people that chose to die there.

The interesting part is not that they are debating the right to choose to die, rather that they are debating the right to die in Switzerland by people from other countries where euthanasia is not legal.

In one hand, this might put more pressure in these neighbor countries to maybe pass some law for assisted suicide, but on the other hand, people who are suffering will not be allow to choose to die in a peaceful way when they chose to go.

Blog 43: Commemoration of Armistice Day

For the first time in history, Germany participated in a commemorative act in France for Armistice Day.

BBC News explains how France and Germany had tried to grow closer over the last few decades and this is a significant move by Germany, although it seems it might benefit more France.

Remember that, after all, they are "celebrating" the day that Germany was defeated in France. It shows a lot of "maturity" to accept the invitation to the party where your neighbors celebrate that their great-grandparents were better than your great-grandparents. Takes time, takes humility.

Blog 42_ Sarkozy posts Berlin Wall photo on Facebook

French President Nicolas Sarkozy posted a picture on Facebook to prove that he was there in Berlin, too, twenty years ago when the Berlin Wall fell.

The image shows that the then 34-year-old French MP was standing in front of a graffiti-covered wall. Under the photo, Mr Sarkozy said that he arrived in West Berlin on the morning of 9 November, crossed Checkpoint Charlie to the East.

"An enthusiastic crowd had gathered to welcome the looming opening of the Wall," he wrote under the Facebook picture, the BBC reports.

But not everyone was convinced; some French observers said that it was probably taken the next day. They argued that the news of the collapse of the wall came late in the day on the 9 November and West Berliners started gathering at the Wall the next day. Hence it does not make sense for Mr Sarkozy to have "predicted the future" and been at the Wall on the 9th.

Well, despite the doubt of whether he was there 20 years ago, he did take part in the 20th anniversary of the fall of the Wall yesterday in Berlin.

German Chancellor, Angel Merkel, was accompanied by British Prime Minister Gordon Brown, President Sarkozy and Hilary Clinton yesterday to celebrate the historical memory of Germany.

The falling of the Berlin wall 20 years ago not only symbolised the end of the Soviet's rule over East Germany but also the unification of the two German districts and people.

On this happy day, I have a piece of advice for Mr Sarkozy : Think twice before you post any private pictures on Facebook!

For more pictures and history of the Berlin Wall, click here.

Blog 41_Swiss mosques open day tackles fears

Muslim organisations in many parts of Switzerland have opened the doors of mosques, three weeks before a vote on a ban of the construction of minarets is to take place in the country.

The open day was held on Saturday in 12 cantons, including Geneva, Vaud and Freiburg. Many Muslim organisations say they hope their open day will counter fears and prejudices.

"We hope these meetings will build a dialogue and better understanding," said Hisham Maizar, a senior Muslim representative in eastern Switzerland, to the BBC.

Switzerland is home to about 400 000 Muslims, of which many see this ban as an act of discrimination.

In addition to the controversial voting per se, disputes also arose over an equally controversial poster that is part of the campaign of the ban. The poster shows a woman, dressed in a burka in front of black minarets that, to some media, resemble missiles. The poster was allowed to be used in Switzerland's biggest city, Zurich and this has created concerns. The Zurich city council justified their decision as a protection of freedom of speech.

Opinion polls suggest that the ban should be rejected.

Blog 40_Tehran, you're fired!

If cities were alive like human, Tehran would be at the edge of being fired from a top-job.

The Iranian government is considering to relocate the country's capital because they say Tehran is "in danger of being struck by a major earthquake", says the BBC.

Tehran has been Iran's capital since 1795. It is located close to the Alborz mountain range and has a population of about 12 million.

The suggestion of replacing capital is, in fact, not new. But this time, the expediency council - a powerful state body- has approved plans by Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei to "fire Tehran". The question now is: where is the Iranian capital moving to?

According to the report by Penny Spiller, there is speculation indicating that the new capital should be built between the holy city of Qom and Delijan, in Markazi province. The area has not seen an earthquake in 2000 years.

Although the decision seems to make sense, sceptics find the timing of the decision a bit suspicious. It has not been long since some of the worst anti-government riots happened in Iran, and to be more precise, in Tehran.

"It is tempting to view anything going on in Iran these days through the lens of that dispute," Dominic Dudley, deputy editor of the London-based Middle East Economic Digest, told the BBC. "It certainly wouldn't hurt the government to move away from the big centre of liberal protests and opposition."

He said that Tehran is a popular place for liberals, and it was many of these liberals who ran on the streets to protest against Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's victory a few months ago. On the other hand, Qom is the spiritual home of Iran's conservative Islamic establishment. Dudley said that moving the capital closer to Qom can be seen as a step closer to conservative rulings.

But it takes magic to move a capital overnight. Andrew Jones of the engineering, planning and architectural design firm AECOM said in the report that it usually takes 10 to 20 years to build a new capital from scratch, and it takes a century of more to "mature into something that is an attractive and self-sustaining place." he said.

Though difficult, it is not impossible. Brazil moved their capital from Rio de Janeiro to Brasilia almost 50 years ago and that was a successful example.

Picture courtesy of the BBC

Blog 39: Space Hotel

This kind of traveling goes beyond the scope of our blog, that is, it's not about going around the world anymore but to outer space.

Reuters put this news release, which I already have seen covered in different media, about a hotel in the space ready to create a list for their guests for 2012.

I am proud to say this is a Spanish enterprise, but I am also skeptical that you can take untrained people to the space in two years.

Of course, this kind of tourism is not like backpacking in Europe. Your bank account needs to be in good shape for this trip: "The Barcelona-based architects of The Galactic Suite Space Resort say it will cost 3 million euro ($4.4 million) for a three-night stay at the hotel, with this price including an eight-week training course on a tropical island."

Blog 38_Just look, don't eat!

Call it a stereotype, but the Japanese is seen as one of the most innovative but also the craziest when it comes to funky ideas!

Recently, I saw this video and it proves that the stereotype was pretty accurate. In Tokyo, most restaurants display their menu in the window. Sorry, I mean, the plastic version of it. It includes everything you can imagine on a Japanese menu- sushi, noodles, soup, andeven ice-cream sundae. Customers can easily be fooled by the authenticity of the plastic food.

Restaurant managers think that this will help lure customers into their restaurant by showing them what they will get. Most elderly customers really like it. They wish that restaurants around the world can adopt this idea since there is always a barrier of language, but not of visuals.

I remember when I was young and still living in Hong Kong, many Japanese restaurants have such products. I used to pick the "shrimp" out of the "noodles", only to realise that it was hard, cold and probably too light even for a low-fat shrimp. I asked my mother why restaurants display fake food. Her painful answer? "To prevent hungry people like you from stealing the food."

Credit is given to szantobett

Blog 37: Controversial Results from Somali Piracy

Channel 4 News has this controversial headline and story about the pirates in the Somali coast: "The 'benefit' of Somalia's pirates."

This is a really short piece with a video, but it made me think really hard about the implications of all this: "Fisherman in Kenya have reported bumper catches of shark and shellfish because commercial fishing boats from China and Japan have been scared away."

The fact that the pirates might have sailed to sea in part because of the dire economic situation in their country does not really justify violence to me, but the unexpected results is not that the pirates get money from their piracy, but that fishermen and the ecosystem benefit.

The story says this was the best fishing season for this town in 40 years. On the other hand, I am sure the industrial fishing boats have gone somewhere else to fish, so another town of fishermen, somewhere else, will have a bad season this year.

The link to the video is here.

Blog 36: Traveling around the world

Everybody loves traveling during vacation times, we spend hours planning our perfect vacation and even more hours dreaming what will be our next destination. From historical sites to the beach, from natural monuments to the museum of art, with several stops at the local restaurants, grab your camera and enjoy the experience.

Blog 35_Slideshow: Drinking habits in the world

Credits are given to xchgn.com and Maja Christensen for some of the pictures used in the slideshow.

Blog 34: Iceland Says Good-Bye to McDonald's

Iceland's economic collapse has forced fast food restaurant chain McDonald's to close its restaurants in the island or face an incredible expensive burger experience. All three restaurants will be closed, says Bloomberg.com.

As expected, no surprises here, some people are loving it (sorry, I couldn't help it) and won't miss the fast food while others are sad to see Ronald go away from the island and hope for a return someday in the future.

European fast food, however, is not as cheap as it is in the US. The article says that "the most expensive Big Macs are sold in Switzerland and Norway, where the burger costs about $5.75, according to the Economist 2009 Big Mac index." Had McDonald's stayed in Iceland, the Big Mac wold have cost 780 kronur” ($6.36), compared with the 650 kronur it costs today.

Blog 33_Her beautiful face gone

(Disclaimer: The video contains some disturbing scenes)
Recently, I stumbled upon an interview of Katie Piper, a victim of an acid attack, on the BBC website and I have an urge to share the story.

Katie Piper is a 24-year-old girl from the UK. She was a model and a budding TV presenter. However, everything changed on the 31st March 2008, when a stranger splashed acid on her face on the street. The accident was caught under CCTV and the perpetrator has been charged. But this cannot make up for the physical and mental tortures that Katie had to go through. She has made a documentary called "Katie: My Beautiful Face" and it is scheduled to be shown on BBC Channel 4 starting from 29th October to share her experience of being a burn-survivor.

In the TV interview, Katie Piper talked about her experience of getting used to her new life and the shock that she encountered at the beginning.

"It's very confusing not to see your own reflection in the mirror and it was hard to accept." she described her reaction when she first looked into a mirror after the incident. She joked that the psychologist had given her the wrong mirror.

Since the accident, she has undergone 30 operations. She has been fortunate to be the first patient to receive a revolutionary treatment called Metroderm, instead of a normal skin replacement. According to Katie, Metroderm is a new technology that first helps rebuild the structure of the face, and then skin-graphs are put on top. With four layers and the fat of her facial skin burnt, this technology has helped dramatically in the duration. One of the biggest satisfaction is that Katie can now have facial expressions.

"It's so amazing to be able to smile," she said, "Having the freedom to move my face and to show everybody how happy I am is amazing".

Her courage is admirable and no doubt, she has one of the most beautiful and confident smiles I have ever seen.

Blog 32_Norwegian won World Monopoly Championships in Las Vegas

Bjorn Halvard Knappskog, a 19-year-old Norwegian, beat rivals from 41 countries and took home $20 580, the total bank reserves in the game.

It took Knappskog only 40 minutes to win the last game, beating Oleg Korostelev from Russia, Rich Marinaccio from the US and Geoff Christopher of New Zealand consecutively. The players were using the Atlantic City version of the game and were all champions in their home countries.

Knappskog said that it was "the most surprised you could ever be" after his victory. He also told the Associated Press that it was the best game he played in the whole tournament. Mr Knappskog said that he would spend the prize money, which is equivalent to the total bank reserve in the game of Monopoly, on a helicopter ride over the Grand Canyon before returning to Oslo.

Monopoly was first launched in 1935, with the championship running periodically since 1973. You can find more information about the World Monopoly Championships on the Monopoly website .

Do you know?

1. The longest Monopoly game ever recorded lasted for 70 straight days; and the longest Monopoly game in a bathtub lasted 99 hours!
2. In 1978, the Neiman Marcus Christmas catalogue offered a chocolate version of the game priced at $600.
   

For more fun facts about Monopoly, check out their official website.

You can read the whole story on the BBC website.Photo credited to monique72 from stock.xchng.

Blog 31: Free travel for baby born in airplane

I am not going to encourage any mother-to-be to go through the experience of having a baby in an airplane, but ninemsn.com reports that that's just what happened to 31 year-old Liew Siaw Hsia. The airline, AirAsia, will give the baby and the mother free airline tickets for the rest of their lives. I wish I was the baby (not so much the mother).

Blog 30_Meet the new Sherlock Holmes

Peter Alec Cannon would never have thought eight years after he robbed the 71-year-old Fay Olson in her home, a leech is all it takes to send him to jail.

In 2001, the then 46-year-old and his accomplice entered Mrs Olson's home and took AUS$ 550 (US$510).

Police in Tasmania found a leech at the crime scene after the robbery and took a sample of the blood from it for DNA profiling. In 2008, Cannon was charged over an unrelated drug offence and his DNA was found to match the sample from the leech.

Detective Inspector Mick Johnston said that it was quite a unique set of circumstance for the culprit to be found; it would not have been possible if the leech was not discovered or blood was not able to be extracted from it or Cannon hadn't committed another crime. He also praised the use of DNA technology in crime investigation.

"It's a testament to DNA evidence and the legislation that allows us to keep such evidence in relation to unsolved crimes - this is a fantastic result." he was quoted on the BBC website.

Mr Johnson also told ABC radio that Mrs Olson "waited a long time for closure to this matter and it's nice to be able to deliver that."

Credit is given to Getty Images

Blog 29: A King among us

I love the video posted on the BBC News site about an Ugandan king who lived in the US and worked here while keeping his royal identity a secret. Now that his lineage has been reinstated int he country, he has been crowned as king.



Sorry I can not post the video, you'll have to visit the site and watch their commercial too, but it is worth it. It really brings a smile to your face, and supports what I had said earlier, that immigrants are among us and we don't really know who they are.

"I was born an albino, but my attackers have made me disabled"

A lack of pigment in the skin cruelly brings the curse of death and fear upon albinos and their families in Tanzania.

A report on the BBC reveals a heartbreaking story of Mariam Staford Bandaba, who was attacked and had her hand chopped off because of her albinism and superstition.

In Tanzania,witch-doctors believe that a potion made of an albino's hair, blood or limbs will bring different kinds of fortune respectively and pave the way to affluence. An undercover BBC journalist pretended to be a customer and taped a shocking conversation with a witch-doctor.

A year ago, Mariam fell into the victimhood and became one of the many sacrifices. A gang attacked her; tried to kill her and sell her remains for witchcraft. Luckily, she escaped and only got one of her hands chopped off but the other had to be amputated in hospital. What is left in her is an infinite amount of trauma and haunting memories.

Mariam was brave enough to identify her attackers. The government hence took her into a safe-house where she could live under protection. All seemed settled until recently, when the Tanzania authority decided that Mariam and her family could no longer live there and have to move back to their village, where the relatives of the attackers still live.

"I can't imagine what will happen. What I did was just start crying." Mariam recalled when officials broke the news to her.

Her father also admitted his anxiety for Mariam and the entire family, including four siblings, frightened that reprisal attacks would carry out on other family members.

"Those who are responsible, all their relatives are still there, and those released from prison, are still living where we were living. So how can we stay there?" Mr Bandaba said. He is not the only one who thinks that the perpetrator would just "finish Mariam off" if they were to set foot in the village.

Government officials defended the decision by saying that some of the attackers were not found guilty and hence can not be kept in prison. According to the law, they are allowed to return to the village.

President Jakaya Kikwete states that actions are being taken to protect albinos in the country and execute perpetrators. In March, thousands of people took part to identify those they suspected of being involved in by filling in forms anonymously.

After Mariam's story was reported, a local businessman agreed to provide her and her family a place to live for the next year. What will happen to Mariam after that, and what will happen to more than 100 000 albinos in the country? Nobody knows. What we know is that their pleas cannot be ignored.

"I was born an albino," Mariam said. "But my attackers have made me disabled. I am begging all Tanzanians to kindly keep on helping me, because my situation is now worse. I have no hands."

Photos courtesy of the BBC. For more personal stories of albinos in Tanzania, click here. You can also watch an undercover journalist's conversation with a witch-doctor here.

Blog 27: Languages getting extinct too?

The BBC Radio has an online story about languages getting extinct and the English language taking over.

The article (rather alarmingly) says: "In 1992 a prominent US linguist stunned the academic world by predicting that by the year 2100, 90% of the world's languages would have ceased to exist." Another quote from a reputed source, French linguist Claude Hagege: "If we are not cautious about the way English is progressing it may eventually kill most other languages."

It is obvious that globalization has a big impact in everything we do, from the food we eat to the books we read. But it is hard to believe that globalization will make a language go away. There are many reasons languages will disappear, but I am not sure it is because of the influence of English in the global market either (look at the Belgians, they can speak three languages with no problem).

Recently historical evidence in totalitarian countries such as Spain or Soviet Russia had shown that after the collapse of those systems, languages that were not allowed to be used, resurfaced.

So I am going to be optimistic and not believe that by 2100 we will be all talking in English, and this is not because I am against a universal language, but because the richness in different languages is so important to understand the people from those countries.

Blog 26_ Red-light district goes green

Customers are offered discounts in the red-light district in Prenzlauer Berg, Berlin, if they get to the door by bicycles.

One bordello is trying to survive the economic crisis by offering a five-Euro (approximately $7) discount to customers who pedal their way to this former East Berlin district.

"It is very difficult to find parking around here, and this option is better for our environment," says Thomas Goetz, who owns the brothel Masion d'Envie, or House of Desire.

Goetz told the Associated Press that business began to return since the discount was offered in July.

According to the report, local residents of Prenzlauer Berg have supported the Green party in recent elections and have welcomed the bordello's offer and its benefits to the environment.
As for those who come by foot, it may be bad news and no discounts are applied.


"We haven't found a way for people to prove they have walked here," Goetz explained.

Blog 25: More Mexicans will migrate to the US if they could

I found this story regarding a poll by the Pew Research Center. The story, distributed by Reuters, say that "One in three Mexicans would migrate to the United States if they had the chance, and many would go illegally."

To me that's an incredible number of people. More data from the survey shows that, apparently, Mexico is not the ideal place to live for many of its citizens.

Some examples from the story:
- "57 percent of Mexicans believe those who move from Mexico to the United States enjoy a better life."
- "81 percent of respondents said crime is a major problem and 73 percent said illegal drugs are a serious issue for their country."
- "Asked if they would like to move to the United States, 33 percent of those taking part in the survey said "yes" and 18 percent said they would move even without the necessary visas."
- "Almost 40 percent of the survey's respondents said they had relatives or close friends in the United States."

I am not sure if this is really a representation of about Mexico or the "ideal" that Mexicans might have about the US society. Undoubtedly we have a much higher quality of life here, but I am not sure some of the respondents understand the implications of being in a foreign country illegally.

Blog 24_Key Climate Change Resolution signed under water

There are so many ways to highlight the threat of global warming; the government of the Maldives has decided to do so by holding a cabinet meeting six metres underwater on the 17th October.

President Mohamed Nasheed and his cabinet member will sign a key resolution, calling for global cuts in carbon emissions, before the Copenhagen Summit. Nasheed, a qualified diver, will also hold a news conference in the water.

A statement issued from the president's office revealed that none of the ministers had any experience in diving before, except for the defence minister. They have been receiving trainings for weeks and all of them were very enthusiastic about this meeting.

"The government will sign a document ahead of the UN Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen in December, calling on all nations to cut down their carbon emissions." the BBC reports.

Nine out of 14 cabinet ministers will participate in the meeting as two were not given medical permission and the last one will be abroad.

The "350.Org", a global grassroots campaign to stop climate change, will start a week after the cabinet meeting. On the 24th October, 350 divers will go underwater in front of the President's Office to demonstrate, using 350 lights.It will be followed by a photo exhibition, in which 350 postcards will be printed out to send to 350 worlds leaders, to voice a strong message of climate change.

Blog 23: Laptops for Kids in Uruguay

According to BBC News, Uruguay is the first country in the world where every child in elementary school will have a laptop computer, courtesy of the public education budget.

You don't hear about Uruguay very often in the news, and I am glad that now that we hear about it, it is to share very good news.

The total cost of the program wasn't even 5 percent of the education budget, and that included not only the laptops for the kids, but also for the teachers, as well as IT support.

70 percent of the kids who got a laptop did not have a computer at home, as quoted in the story: "This is not simply the handing out of laptops or an education programme. It is a programme which seeks to reduce the gap between the digital world and the world of knowledge," explained Miguel Brechner, director of the Technological Laboratory of Uruguay and in charge of Plan Ceibal."

The plan is not finalized, since some of the most rural schools do not have access to internet, but this is a very good first step in the right direction.

Blog 22: Amazonian Tribe Has Only Five People Left

The Belfast Telegraph has an article about the last survivors of a tribe in the Amazon that was once a thriving civilization.

There are only five people left from the Akuntsu tribe. "All of them are either close family relations, or no longer of child-bearing age – meaning that the tribe's eventual disappearance is now inevitable."

The article says that farmers and loggers' greed are the main reasons for the situation of the tribe: "... the new migrant workers knew that one thing might prevent them from creating profitable homesteads from the rainforest: the discovery of uncontacted tribes, whose land is protected from development under the Brazilian constitution. As a result, frontiersmen who first came across the Akuntsu in the mid-1980s made a simple calculation. The only way to prevent the government finding out about this indigenous community was to wipe them off the map."

Blog 21_Government offers free honeymoon for troubled couples

The government of a north-east state in Malaysia has offered free "second" honeymoon to couples who are at the brink of divorce.

Ashaari Idris, a government official in Terengganu, said that troubled couples would be offered to spend two nights at one of the state's scenic island resorts.

"Before marriage, all was good. But after marriage, some are unable to cope with the new challenges," Ashaari told AFP. He says that this programme is aiming to strengthen family ties.

"I want to strengthen family ties. If a marriage breaks down, it will hurt the children and it will have serious implications on society." he says.

Those who wish to take part will have to apply, undergo an interview and commit to marital counselling. So far, 25 couples have volunteered to participate in a pilot project and undergone counselling on Monday.

Under Islam, divorce is allowed but not encouraged, with the Prophet Mohammed saying divorce was, in the eyes of God, the most distasteful lawful act.Ashaari said that the Muslim-majority north-eastern state has one of the lowest divorce rate in Malaysia, however, no official data has been disclosed.

Picture courtesy of Terengganu Tourism Board

Blog 20_World's youngest headmaster teaches at family backyard

You do not need many years of teaching experience or the perfect classroom to be a good teacher and change life. All you need is the hunger to learn and the determination to share. Babar Ali, a 16-year-old schoolboy from Murshidabad, West Bengal, is a remarkable example.

Babar Ali is the protagonist of the first report in the BBC's Hunger to Learn series. At the age of 16, he is the world's youngest headmaster. He has no formal teaching qualification and is just a normal teenager. What makes him extraordinary is that everyday he runs classes for hundreds of poor students from his village, in his family's backyard.

Being the first in his family to receive proper education, Babar Ali understands how precious education is.

"It's not easy for me to come to school because I live so far away," he says, "but the teachers are good and I love learning."

Everyday before classes, Babar Ali has to help out with household chores before going to school. He takes an auto-rickshaw for a ride of about 10km (six miles) to Raj Govinda and has to walk the last couple of kilometres.

Raj Govinda is a government-run school which is free. However, it is still very difficult for parents to send their kids to school -- many cannot afford the US$40 fees each year for school uniform, books and transportation.

Barba Ali understands the obstacles for his fellow villagers. When he was nine, he already started teaching a few friends and eventually decided to open an unofficial school and give lessons at his backyard everyday at 4pm. He teaches and shares what he learns from school in front of a massive crowd.

Now his afternoon school has 10 teachers, including Barba Ali himself, and 800 students, mostly girls.

"My father is handicapped and cannot work," says Chumki Hajra, a 14-year-old girl attending Barba Ali's unofficial school. She has been a full-time cleaner since she was five and never attended school.

"We need the money. If I don't work, we can't survive as a family. So I have no choice but to do this job." she told the Damian Grammaticas of the BBC.

Nelson Mandela once said "Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world." In this case, Barba Ali is an excellent soldier.

For the full report or interviews on BBC, click here

Blog 19_"Fake zebras" delight children in Gaza

Two donkeys were dyed manually with black stripes to resemble zebras in a small zoo in Gaza.

For those who are lucky enough to have seen a zebra in the flesh, the zebras-wannabe cannot trick you. But to children in Gaza, who have never seen a zebra outside of children's books, the donkeys can easily do the trick.

Nidal Barghouthi, the son of the owner of the Marah Land zoo, admitted that the two female donkeys were striped with masking tape and women's hair dye, to avoid expensive smuggling fees.

"It would have cost me $40000 to get a real one." said owner Mohammed Bargouthi.

"The first time we used paint but it didn't look good. The children don't know, so they call them zebras and they are happy to see something new." Mr Bargouthi told the Reuters.

According to the BBC, all the real animals at the zoo, including monkeys and a tigress, had been smuggled under the border at great expenses. And earlier this year, two authentic zebras died of starvation during the Israeli military offensive.

Picture courtesy of Reuters

Blog 18_Rwanda genocide suspect arrested

One of the top four genocide suspects was arrested in Uganda this week, Ugandan and Rwandan officials confirmed today.

Idelphonse Nizeyimana was an intelligence chief at the time of the Rwandan Genocide in 1994, in which more about 800 000 Tutsis and moderate Hutus were killed. He is accused of organising the mass killings of civilians, including the former Tutsi queen Rosalie Gicanda, who was 80 years old at the time of her death.

The Rwandan government welcomed the arrest but said that Nizeyimana should be tried in his country. Eric Kayiranga, a Rwandan police spokesman, confirmed that the suspect was arrested in Kampala, Uganda's capital. According to the BBC, he was attempting to cross the boarder from Congo to Kenya and was caught with false travel documents.

"This guy was causing terror in Congo, and he was a threat to the region," Mr Kayiranga told The New York Times. "His arrest was a success."

It is believed that Nizeyimana fled to Congo, after the genocide, and took refuge there. He was finally arrested in a hote in Kampala. The International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda, based in Arusha, Tanzania, said that Nizeyimana will appear in court in the coming days.

The Rwanda Genocide was one of the most brutal mass murders and ethnic conflicts. The Genocide was sparked by the death of the Rwandan President Juvenal Habyarimana, a Hutu, when his plane was shot down in June 1994. Accusation was pointing to the leader of a Tutsi rebel group, Paul Kagame, for the attack. Kagame denied the accusation and shifted the blame to Hutu extremists. This acted as a perfect catalyst to more radical actions regarding the already existing ethnic disputes between the Tutsis and the Hutus. In the 100 days of killing, it is estimated that more than 800 000 Rwandans were killed and most of them were Tutsis.

Pictures Courtesy of the BBC

(Audio) Blog 17_Interview with Seol Kim, a Korean student at WSU

There are more than 1000 international students at WSU. Every year, students from around the globe bid farewell to their families and embark on an adventure in a different country for education. How much do we know about their stories and their struggles?
I have talked to Seol Kim, a sophomore student from Korea, and understood a story of determination.

Blog 16_And the winner is...Rio de Janeiro

Rio de Janeiro has been named as the host city of the 2016 Summer Olympic, being the first ever South American city to be selected by the International Olympic Committee.

Rio de Janeiro won in the last round of voting by a comprehensive margin of 66 votes to 32 votes over Madrid. The other competitors included Chicago and Tokyo, which had been voted out in the first and second round respectively.

After IOC president Jacques Rogge revealed that Rio was awarded to host the Games of the 31st Olympiad, the Brazilian president was in tears.

"The other countries made proposals. We presented a heart and a soul." President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva told reporters. "I confess to you if I die right now, my life would have been worth it."

The winning city used the slogan "Live your passion!" (Click here for bid video) President Lula promised in his speech to the IOC that Rio will "deliver an unforgettable Games" and is determined to show "the passion, the energey and the creativity of the Brazilian people".

All games are planned to take place inside the city, bringing "dynamics to the Games and facilitating the athletes' interaction", according to the bid website. There will be seven competition centres in four Olympic regions, with football matches held in the cities of Belo Horizonte, Brasilia, Salvador and Sao Paulo.

Currently there are eight existing venuess that can and need to be renovated for the Games. While three of them are new, they fail to meet the size and technical requirements of the IOC.

Although it is a big boost for this Brazilian city with 6 million inhabitans, the road ahead does not look particularly easy.

To start with, Rio does not have enough hotel rooms. The IOC questioned the reliability and accountability of the strategy proposed by Rio: it is going to increase the number of hotel rooms available before 2016 but some of them are on private cruise ships.

Security is another big issue. According to TIME, the number of homicides in the has risen up to 9.9% this year. One fifth of the population are slum-dwellers. Officials are considering flooding the city with troops as they did for the Pan Am Games in 2007, although this will create an intimidating atmosphere for a festive event such as the Olympics.

While Rio de Janeiro is celebrating this historical moment, representatives from Madrid, Tokyo and Chicago are shocked and disappointed.

In Chicago, citizens are extremely surprised and devastated when the city was kicked out in the first round with only 18, out of the 94, votes. Chicago was seen as one of the favourites before the voting.
Brazil is also the host of the World Cup in 2014.


Pictures courtesy of BBC, AFP and the New York Times

Blog 15: People Powered Maps

I found this interesting series of maps on the BBC News web site.
It shows different countries and what areas are more populated.

If you check your own country, you probably won't be surprised by the results, but it is interesting to visit some other countries and see if you really want to spend your vacation visiting that overpopulated city or rather visit the more quiet areas of the country.

The source of the maps is here at WorldMapper, if you want to see more people-powered maps of other countries or even a map of the world. It also has animated maps showing world maps by income, age-of-death, internet users and much more. A nice visual way to learn something else about the world.

Blog14_Earthquake in South Pacific triggers deadly Tsunami

A powerful 8.3-magnitude earthquake struck in the South Pacific between Samoa and American Samoa and triggered a tsunami that destroyed villages and killed and injured almost 100 people.

The earthquake took place on Tuesday (17:48 GMT) between the two island groups, generating waves of up to 15ft (4.5m).The exact number of casualty is still unknown but the Samoan authority believes that casualty will rise as more injured people arrive from coastal areas.

The Samoa islands consist of two separate entities – the nation of Samoa and American Samoa, a US territory, with a total population of about 250 000 people.

Eni Faleomavaega, who represents American Samoa in the US told BBC that the disaster had caused severe damage to property.

“Some of the areas here are only a few feet above sea level, so you can imagine the devastation.” he said. “The waves had literally wiped out all the low-lying areas in the Samoan islands.”

Similar to the disaster in 2004 that happened in Asia, this tsunami had hit the islands within a few minutes of the earthquake, leaving no time for effective warnings or escapes.

“It was very quick. The whole village has been wiped out,” New Zealander Graeme Ansell told the New Zealand National Radio from a hill near Samoa’s capital, Apia. “There’s not a building standing.” He said.

Among the dead, several of them are believed to be foreign tourists.

The Pacific Tsunami Warning Centre issued an alert from American Samoa to numerous islands in the Pacific, including the Samoas, the Cook Islands, Tonga, Fiji, New Zealand, French Polynesia and Palmyra Island.

To watch an i-Reporter's video clip of the aftermath, click on the snapshot or here. For more pictures, click here

Blog 13: Germany after the Elections

The Spiegel published a story analyzing what they call the new Germany. Angela Merkel was able to get re-elected but her party, the Christian Democrats, has been weakened. In the European-style elections, parties can form coalitions to be able to pass legislation, since there are more than two parties.

Additionally, her position within her own party has also worsened and there is the possibility of the party looking for a new leader. Int eh words of the Spiegel:

"Angela Merkel will be waging a battle on two fronts: in a coalition where she will be fighting for influence with the FDP (Free Democratic Party) as junior coalition partner, and within her own party."

The article analyzes how the rest of the parties scored and what it means for the future of those parties in the battle for power in Germany

Blog 12: The International/Intercultural Family

In every country you'll find intercultural marriages, immigrant families, or a combination of both. Most likely, they try to assimilate and the details about their background are barely known to those that are not close friends. I decided to interview one of those families and, to my surprise, there were lots of details I didn't know about them either, even though I've known them for a while.

Blog 11: Indian girl refuses to get married

The decision of a 12 year old Indian girl to defy her parents and not get married has changed her life, and also the lives of may other girls in her village, who, empowered by her, made the same decision, as published by ABC News

I like to see how one individual's decision can change many lives. Apparently the Indian government does look the other side regarding child marriages, even though the law does not allow them.



Picture published by ABC news

I wish Rekha Kalindi the best for her future. She prefers going to school than getting married and thanks to UNICEF the chance to go to school instead of to work was possible.

Blog 10_Sydney disappeared in red dust

Sydneysiders woke up today to find their city wrapped around by a thick dust storm.

"I'm 72 years old and I've never seen that in my life before," a Sydney resident said.

Barry Hanstrum, Bureau of Meteorology regional director, also told The Sunday Morning Herald that
it is very usual to see a thick blanket covering such a large area of New South Wales.

"More than half the state at midday today is under this cloud and the dust is starting to spread north and east and is likely to affect parts of Queensland as well in the next 24 hours" Hanstrum said.

The dust blanket has been carried by powerful winds that snatched up tons of topsoil from the drought-ravaged west of the state. On Tuesday morning, Sydney's air pollution levels has been pushed up to 1500 times their normal levels and raised some health concerns. A surge in calls from people suffering from breathing problems was reported. Children and elderly are advised to stay home.

The dust storm has caused inconvenience to both local residents and tourists; traffic has been severely affected and Sydney's landmarks, including the Opera House and the Sydney Harbour Bridge have been completely obscured.

The BBC reports that it had been a difficult 24 hours for Australia as the country suffered from earthquakes in Victoria state, hail storms in parts of New South Wales and bushfire in northern Queensland, causing numerous damages.

Fortunately, the dust storm is estimated to disappear by the evening as the low pressure system over Sydney, which brought the dusty wins, moved out to the sea. Check out the video report for more details.

Blog 9: Politics affect Wildlife

Madagascar has a very unique wildlife and apparently, due to the unstable political situation after the coup, poachers are abusing the system and killing animals faster than they can reproduce, making the possibility of extintion a reality. The aye, aye, an animal that occurs only in Madagascar, might be an example, as the BBC reports here "last chance to see the aye-aye"



Image courtesy of BBC

The article has a short video of the aye aye, with some scientists just drooling over the cuteness of the animal. But even if it wasn't this cute, it will still deserve our attention.

Blog 8_Pride Parade cancelled after homophobic threats

A gay parade due to take place today in Belgrade, Serbia, was cancelled due to security concerns. Organisers called off the event after being urged by the police to move venues.

"We were told in the meeting with Prime Minister Cvetkovic that the gathering is impossible for security reasons and that we should choose another location," said Dragana Vuckovic, member of the Pride Parade organizing team.

"Taking the Pride Parade to another location is simply not acceptable," Vuckovic said. "Pride parades are traditionally organised in the main streets of big cities and the message is that groups kept on the fringes of a society need to be integrated".

In the past week, homophobic graffiti has been appearing across the capital city with alogans such as "Gay parade - we're waiting for you" and "Death to homosexuals". Threats from ultra-nationalist groups have vowed to prevent the parade at all cost. This has reminded many of the bloody event eight years ago, when Belgrade's first gay parade ended up with violent attacks of participants.

Majda Puaca, a gay pride organiser, is stil traumatised by the memory.

"2001 was really scary," Puaca told BBC in a special report. " A guy came and punched a girl in front of me. The policeman was standing just two metres away eating ice cream and not responding. I screamed at the guy 'why did you hit this girl?' and he replied 'she's not a girl, she's a lesbian'."

Like in many places around the globe, homosexuality in Serbia is far from accepted. One of the most outspoken movements protesting against homosexuality is Obraz, an Orthodox Christian Organisation.

"All those trying to promote homosexuality as normal or acceptable are the enemies of the Serbian nation." said Mladen Obradovic, Secretary General of Obraz. He added that supporters of homosexuality are the enemies of the country and its traditional values.

Serbia's national church also called the event a "shame parade, not a pride parade".

Serbian President, Boris Tadic, finally broke the silence. Without deliberately supporting the rally, Tadic issued a statement saying that the state would offer protection for all its citizens, regardless of their religious, sexual or political affiliation. Some criticise that politicians are too afraid to say anything that would cost them votes. Observers believe that as Serbia desires to join the EU, changes must happen.

Serbia is not the only place where homosexuals supporters are threatened. In some Islamic countries, being homosexual can be fatal. A special report by Der Spiegel reveals how homosexuals are being targeted in the Muslim World.