Global Voices Online

Nouvelle Europe discusses [FR] the economic crisis in Latvia, with widespread wage cuts and imminent collapse of the financial sector, indicating no apparent way out of the crisis in the foreseeable future.

The news of the death of the King of Pop was like an earthquake felt around the world. The shock wave reached the French Caribbean, where bloggers from Martinique, Guadeloupe, French Guiana, all pay homage to the late artist.

Congopage [Fr] announces Dennis Sassou Nguesso's reelection campaign team.  Nguesso has been president of the Republic of Congo (more or less) since 1979.  Readers lament another sham election.

revedafrique, during a trip home to his village in Togo, was disappointed by the democratic spirit of the youth: “Some still believe, for example, that criticizing the government's policies can land you in prison” [Fr]

Congoblog [Fr] tells the story of two former child soldiers who are still waiting for the reintegration money promised by the government.  They survive by collecting garbage and grating cow horns to make Nkulo, a traditional dish.

Quophy Blogeur [Fr] writes about a man raising money from the Buriknabe community in Cote d'Ivoire for the next election, but questions his motives.

In a photo-post, Guadeloupean Chien créole [Fr] blogs about the first massive demonstrations since the end of the recent social turmoil in the French West Indies: May Day celebration in Petit-Canal; meanwhile, Shakazulu [Guadeloupean Creole] reports on the number of demonstrators.

Guadeloupean Mycho blogs [Fr] about her doubts concerning the “Estates General of the French Overseas Departments” to re-think the status of its distant departments, while bloggers Anba pyé mango-la and indiscrétions [Fr] also report on developments.

After the 45-day mobilization in Guadeloupe, French President Nicolas Sarkozy made many promises - Mycho, who blogs at Critiqart Guadeloupe [Fr], expresses her disappointment about the President's attitude.