International

Reporters Without Borders shares the concern that the Chilean Union of Photographers and Cameramen has expressed about the possibility of more violence against media personnel by the security forces, especially the carabinero militarized police, during the large protests that are expected to take place today and tomorrow in response to calls from the student movement.

This day will be considered in Palestine as the day of the appointment with freedom for hundreds of the Palestinian prisoners, and the day of meeting the loved ones for hundred of families. The largest prisoners swap in history between Hamas and Israel has begun it first step
releasing 477 Palestinian prisoners including 27 women in exchange of
Israeli soldier Gila’ad Shalit

The day started with the heartening news from Japan that Tokyo had just joined the ‘global day of mobilization’ adding its strength and uniqueness to over 1000 cities in 85 countries, working to mediate a fundamental change in the world economic and democratic systems. Around 4 PM, we walked toward Sol with a group of friendsto participate in a Radio show on the “Movement 15M”.

Organizers estimate that 15,000 people converged in Times
Square on Saturday afternoon, the culmination of a day of
marches and protests that covered much of lower
Manhattan. Actions from New York to Madrid, Rome,
London, Jakarta, Tokyo and Sydney were part of a
global day of action called for by the Indignados
movement in Spain and later joined by Occupy Wall Street.

In Germany about 40000 people went on the streets: very mixed, old, young, mostly middle class, educated. In Berlin it was about 10000, in Frankfurt in the bank metropolis 8000 with the goal to occupy, in Cologne 1500, Duesseldorf 1500, Munich 1000, Hamburg thousands and so on. The organisators in each city were joyfully surprised because they expected a few hundred only.

By Farooque Chowdhury*

Across oceans and covering continents people around the world are struggling. There are protest marches, demonstrations, occupations. It’s now global, a globalization of struggle for democracy, for a decent life. It is One Earth One Humanity One Loved, as a placard in the Occupy Wall Street Movement announces.

FRIENDS:

“Our call for change unites us.
We want a new society that gives people priority over economic and political interests.
We want to demonstrate that society has not gone to sleep, and that we will keep fighting for what we deserve by peaceful means.
We want all this, and we want it now.” (Sol, May 2011).

The often violent response to the Occupy Wall Street campaign that is growing in the United States and elsewhere is affecting the freedom to inform. Reporters Without Borders condemns the arrests of reporters in recent weeks, especially in New York where the police assume the right to decide who are journalists.

Paris – Youth are hit disproportionately hard by the recession. In the first quarter of 2011, the unemployment rate for young people (aged 15 to 24) was 17.4% in the OECD rich, industrialised countries, compared with 7% for adults (aged 25 and over).

Thousands of Palestinians hit the streets of Gaza and West Bank 11 October to celebrate the prisoner swap deal between Israel and Hamas. This will exchange 1,027 Palestinians for the captured Israeli soldier, Gilad Shalit. Hamas leader in Damascus Khaled Messhal, in a congratulatory speech, considered the swap deal as a proud national achievement for all Palestinians.