The title for this week doesn’t really reflect anything in the news, but is just a way to show appreciation for this space on P-Mag’s 4th birthday and all the wonderful people who contribute here. I learn so much from all of you.
And now the news…
The big news this week is that two people from South Asia share this year’s Nobel Peace Prize. The more well-known of the two is Malala Yousafzai, the Pakistani teenager who was shot by the Taliban and is now one of the world’s best known advocates for girls’ education. What makes this story even more poignant is that Yousafzai was informed by her chemistry teacher that she had won and Malala insisted on finishing the class before addressing the media.
She shares the prize with Kailash Satyarthi of India who was recognized for his work in combating child slavery and exploitive child labor. He said in a statement to the Associated Press:
Child slavery is a crime against humanity. Humanity itself is at stake here. A lot of work still remains, but I will see the end of child labor in my lifetime.
It’s also noteworthy that this year’s recipients represent two countries that have been at odds for years and at a time when tensions between India and Pakistan are high, and given the extreme Islamophobia being expressed lately, that the Nobel committee chose a Muslim as one of the winners.
Suck it, Bill Maher.
Here is a profile on Afghanistan’s new First Lady.
As fears of the spread of Ebola grow, Afghanistan also announced that it will begin screening for the disease at its airports.
Also, the WHO says that East Asia has a high risk of an Ebola outbreak.
Pro-democracy protesters in Hong Kong are trying to rally support among those who are probably dead tired of fighting the seemingly immovable force that is the Chinese government. This is especially true after the Hong Kong government leaders called off talks with protest leaders, saying that the protests made negotiations impossible. Uh huh.
Some really cool art has come out of the Occupy Central movement.
Things are getting interesting with North Korea (when are they not). First off, North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has been absent from some pretty big events. It’s causing speculation that the young dictator may have fallen from power, but the government party line is that Jong-un has simply been ill.
On top of that, some South Korean activists sent leaflets criticizing the government of their northern neighbors; North Korea responded with machine gun fire. Thankfully, no one was hurt.
Finally if you ever get a chance to travel in Southeast Asia, the cheapest way to eat is via street food. Luckily, much of it is delicious, but this story lists a few dishes you may want to skip (and what’s the best thing to eat in several countries.)
