students

Video: Pro-regime university speaker shouted down by students

Team Observers — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 16:11:45 +0100

Pro-regime speakers are regularly invited by University Bassij to speak before students - but since President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's controversial re-election in June, they face increasingly hostile audiences. On November 16, one of Ahmadinejad's staunchest supporters was booed to silence with calls of "murderer" and "liar, go away!" But students often pay the price for their outspokenness.

Mullah Hamid Rasaei, a prominent Member of Parliament and one of Ahmadinejad's most vocal supporters, was invited to speak at the Imam Khomeini University of Qazvim, a town near Tehran. A few minutes into his speech, however, he is forced to abandon the floor after being drowned out by the slogans and shouts of angry students. He tries to raise his voice and rebuke the crowd for insulting him, but his words only fuel the student's anger. Cries of "Students will die but never give up!" ring out, along with slogans of "Death to the dictator!" and "Death to Russia!" (many opponents of Ahmadinejad believe that his government is being propped up by Russia). Meanwhile, Bassij event organisers shout back "Death to America!"

China’s "most awesome" building

Team Observers — Mon, 28 Sep 2009 15:47:28 +0200

This building in the city of Wuhan has been dubbed the “most awesome” in the country by Chinese Web users. The voters were being ironic, as the student dorms it houses are probably one of the most dangerous places to live in all of China: their windows are just inches away from a high voltage electric pylon.

Blogger Weng Haofeng, went to visit the infamous five-story building at the start of the school year. He brings us this account.

Post written with Chinahush.com.

Could the Greek revolt ignite all of Europe?

Sophie Team Observers — Thu, 18 Dec 2008 18:27:31 +0100

The Greeks are not calming down. On the contrary - the leftist radicals unfurled a banner across the Acropolis calling for European-wide action on Wednesday. Is a new '68 on its way?

The message was written in four languages: Greek, English, Italian and German. "Resistance" on one banner, and "18/12, demonstration in all Europe" on another. Judged "inexcusable" by the government, it took the Greek police two hours to remove the banners. But will the call for action succeed? Supporters from around Europe tell us what they think.

You too, let us know your opinion.

Posted by "Synaspismo".

The spark that set Greece on fire

Julien — Tue, 09 Dec 2008 11:11:41 +0100

Athens and several other Greek cities have been ablaze with riots sparked by the shooting of a 15-year-old boy by a policeman. Our team spoke to a student participating in the revolts, who described the atmosphere as protestors prepared for a new wave of riots yesterday.

It's not quite civil war, but it feels like it. The death of 15-year old Alexandros Grigoropoulos was shot by a police officer, sparked a wave of angry protests so intense that they deteriorated into riots that ravaged the capital and several other college towns, as thousands of students clashed with police forces. The officer accused of killing the boy has been charged with homicide and another police officer with being an accessory.

But the revolt also expresses deeper social unrest. The country has been hard hit by the economic crisis, and the right-wing government headed by Costa Karamanlis is accused of failing to respond to growing social needs.

Paris students can't put up with their parents

Julien — Wed, 27 Feb 2008 16:11:30 +0100

According to a study done by the French magazine l'Observatoire on student life in Paris, a third of students have trouble finding housing in the capital. A whopping forty-two percent live in family homes - 37% have to put up with their parents, while only 7% live in a shared flat. Thirty-one percent live alone or in a couple, while 14% stay in the dreaded ‘residences' (shared toilets and showers and hospital-style food). But thanks to ongoing complaints from UNEF and other associations, the subject has become an important issue in the local elections in Paris, which are to take place on March 29.