We get 10,000 mosquito nets more to fight malaria thanks to a bet won by Ashton Kutcher over media legacy CNN by attracting a million followers to his tweets. This event is newsworthy for me from two points.
I have recently been exploring how social media is transforming the way traditional media operates. This event tells how the individual can have a wider never-before outreach.
Second, that Kutcher decided to use the World Malaria Day as the peg, thus drawing global attention to this vector-borne disease that continues to claim millions of lives in Africa, Asia and the Pacific. Meanwhile a new malaria strain, resistant to Artemisinin – the drug used in combination therapies treatment, is posing to be a new threat, says the WHO.
Now that Kutcher has won a million fans, how about a million mosquito nets as well?
Monday, April 27, 2009
Friday, April 10, 2009
Mera joota hai Hindustani…
As I land home groggy and jetlagged, I learn of India’s new ‘shoegate’ status. A Sikh journalist expresses his anger over a recent political move by throwing his shoe at the Home Minister.
As the national media debates the rights and wrongs of the methodology used, the throw sure did not miss raising a public voice on the ’84 riots when 2,000 Sikhs in the Indian capital alone were killed in the aftermath of Indira Gandhi’s assassination by her bodyguards belonging to the same community.
An issue that has oft been swept under the political carpet has now been kicked upfront by the humble shoe. A friend of mine, also friend to the new ‘betrayer of the journalistic fraternity’ says the 25-year old scars are hard to ignore. I say a billion pairs of shoes are even harder to discount.
As the national media debates the rights and wrongs of the methodology used, the throw sure did not miss raising a public voice on the ’84 riots when 2,000 Sikhs in the Indian capital alone were killed in the aftermath of Indira Gandhi’s assassination by her bodyguards belonging to the same community.
An issue that has oft been swept under the political carpet has now been kicked upfront by the humble shoe. A friend of mine, also friend to the new ‘betrayer of the journalistic fraternity’ says the 25-year old scars are hard to ignore. I say a billion pairs of shoes are even harder to discount.
Friday, April 3, 2009
Last words of two world leaders…in their own way
We all waited in the true Indian spirit. The Indian Prime Minister was late. A compelling reason though – he was in conversation with the American President Barrack Obama.
After the ‘useful and productive’ meeting (in his words) that had covered issues of security and climate change, Dr Manmohan Singh spoke about the $1.1 trillion that will bring back jobs, growth and stability. “Recapitalizing the banking system is essential to normalise credit flows – mere fiscal stimulus cannot have expected results.” True enough?
What about the chronic poverty that ails millions in India? Not surprisingly, the subject was not broached even as the suave and soft-spoken PM admitted that there was still much more left to do while listing his government’s achievements. Indian journalists were more concerned about Pakistan’s terror antics and India’s response to it.
As I moved to the adjoining briefing room to hear US President Barrack Obama’s take, it was not difficult to figure his popular win last year. In his strong compelling voice, he was ably fielding queries being thrown by the crowding media. (With a dash of charm and wit)
While he admitted the G20 was not the panacea that would take care of the remains of toxic assets in US and European banks, he also claimed it had created a good foundation in boosting global demand and growth. But what really caught my attention was his view on the India-Pakistan terror issue, and here I quote, “In a nuclear age when the greatest enemy of India and Pakistan should be poverty, it may be more effective to create a dialogue between India and Pakistan.” Amen to that.
After the ‘useful and productive’ meeting (in his words) that had covered issues of security and climate change, Dr Manmohan Singh spoke about the $1.1 trillion that will bring back jobs, growth and stability. “Recapitalizing the banking system is essential to normalise credit flows – mere fiscal stimulus cannot have expected results.” True enough?
What about the chronic poverty that ails millions in India? Not surprisingly, the subject was not broached even as the suave and soft-spoken PM admitted that there was still much more left to do while listing his government’s achievements. Indian journalists were more concerned about Pakistan’s terror antics and India’s response to it.
As I moved to the adjoining briefing room to hear US President Barrack Obama’s take, it was not difficult to figure his popular win last year. In his strong compelling voice, he was ably fielding queries being thrown by the crowding media. (With a dash of charm and wit)
While he admitted the G20 was not the panacea that would take care of the remains of toxic assets in US and European banks, he also claimed it had created a good foundation in boosting global demand and growth. But what really caught my attention was his view on the India-Pakistan terror issue, and here I quote, “In a nuclear age when the greatest enemy of India and Pakistan should be poverty, it may be more effective to create a dialogue between India and Pakistan.” Amen to that.
Thursday, April 2, 2009
A trillion dollars for world recovery
As I pick the communiqué the figure stands out. Breaking it up, its $750 billion to IMF (incidentally trebling their resources), $250 billion to support SDR (googling I discover the Special Drawing Rights was created by the IMF in 1969, a basket of currencies that works as an overdraft facility for member countries), a $100 billion lending to MDBs – that is Multilateral Development Banks – and $250 billion to boost world trade.
While IMF appears to be the biggest winner, I am interested in the $100 billion that would be lent to poorest countries. Wonder if the Indian PM has something to say about it in his briefing in a little while. I think I will go pay him a visit.
While IMF appears to be the biggest winner, I am interested in the $100 billion that would be lent to poorest countries. Wonder if the Indian PM has something to say about it in his briefing in a little while. I think I will go pay him a visit.
More voice to emerging countries
After facing the bitter cold of a London morning, and being shuttled from one point to another, we are finally in the wide warm confines of the Excel Centre – the hotspot of global action that will unfold as the day passes.
I am no economist who can debate on the perplexing ways the economy functions. As world leaders debate on trade, market reforms and business regulations, I hope today’s agenda will also take care of the voiceless nations. Salil Shetty, global head of the UN Millennium Campaign says emerging countries like India still have limited voice. He believes it is time that there are policy changes to make them more pro-MDG and also a change in the global governance and voice structures. Both need to go hand in glove. I am watching the Indian PM Manmohan Singh on the TV screens at the Media Centre. Will he take the cue?
I am no economist who can debate on the perplexing ways the economy functions. As world leaders debate on trade, market reforms and business regulations, I hope today’s agenda will also take care of the voiceless nations. Salil Shetty, global head of the UN Millennium Campaign says emerging countries like India still have limited voice. He believes it is time that there are policy changes to make them more pro-MDG and also a change in the global governance and voice structures. Both need to go hand in glove. I am watching the Indian PM Manmohan Singh on the TV screens at the Media Centre. Will he take the cue?
Wednesday, April 1, 2009
Agenda next?
Well, I finally made it in time to London for the G20. As part of a group of 50 bloggers invited from across the world, I am fortunate to be a part of a unique exercise that hopes to carry the voice of civil society and people to governments. As accredited mainstream media, we would all be able to attend the summit up close tomorrow (so watch this space).As we gather today in a beautiful imposing room in Westminster to know each other and discuss – to my mind, demystify – the issues of G20, I think of the less fortunate back home who have no access to the many virtues of new media technologies that we are using here. I share here a scene from a small government school in remote Bengal in east India, where we run an ICT program to assist rural teachers connect with education experts in bigger cities and help them deal with their daily challenges. Forget computers. The need for basic infrastructure is a higher call here and in the many hundred schools across the country’s interiors.
I hear the Indian PM does have MDGs on his agenda as flies down for his first meeting with US President Barrack Obama, UK Prime Minister Gordon Brown, among others tomorrow. Although conventional wisdom has shown all grand intentions of leaders remain that – mere intentions – I will allow myself the hope that perhaps, this time, there would be a genuine effort by world leaders to protect the interests of the poorest in developing countries.
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