The letter from the "invisible man"

Ségolène Team Observers — Thu, 11 Sep 2008 18:02:50 +0200

Last Thursday, various French newsrooms and ministerial cabinets received an email signed by a certain Didier L. The author, physically disabled by a genetic illness, lost his job four years ago and today finds himself destitute. Here is the seemingly banal story of an "invisible man" who refuses to give up.

Forty-years-old, Didier L suffers from a hereditary illness of the blood. An artistic director, he's been looking for work since the company he worked for was liquidated in 2004. He sent his "Letter to France" to various MPs and journalists, right up to the French President, Nicolas Sarkozy.

You can send Didier a question directly onto his profile page. He prefers to remain anonymous.

Got a degree, now where are the jobs?

Julien — Tue, 11 Dec 2007 10:01:47 +0100

Material from Zhang, our regional editor for China.

This video shows surging crowds at an employment fair organised by Nanchang University in southeast China. In 1999, China launched a scheme to increase university enrolments and to develop its tertiary - or service - sector. The endeavour seems to have worked: China has a growth rate of 9% per year and boasts unemployment levels of under 5%. But the vibrant Chinese labour market has nevertheless failed to absorb the huge influx of qualified workers being churned out by the country's universities. See below...

Post your questions to Zhang.