Stories about Western Europe from May, 2009
Spain: Wikimovie, created through online participation
In Spain, beverage company Mahou has decided to climb on the online participation bandwagon and have turned to the internet to create and produce a short film where directing, casting and production decisions have been made by the community of participants at the WikiPeli site.
Guadeloupe: In May 2009, keep May 1802 and May 1967 in mind
2009 will definitely be a "new" year in Guadeloupe - at least judging from a pun that people used as their New Year's wish, since in Creole "new" is pronounced "nef" and "nine" is also pronounced "nef". The first social movements in December 2008 foreshadowed the massive mobilization which took place from January until March 2009, which resulted in 45 days of an all-out strike on the island. Although an agreement was signed, the situation still has not been properly settled - and May, traditionally a month of protest in the French and Guadeloupean social history, is particularly hot this year.
Caribbean, UK: Padel resigns from Oxford post
After regional bloggers reacted en masse to the withdrawal of St. Lucian Nobel Laureate Derek Walcott from the race to be Oxford Professor of Poetry, Ruth Padel, Walcott's closest competitor who eventually won the coveted post, has resigned under pressure of mounting allegations that she was the puppet master behind the smear campaign. Caribbean bloggers do not seem surprised.
MENA: Introducing, “The Circumventer”
Alexandra Sandels, from MENASSAT, writes her interview with Walid Al-Saqaf, a Sweden-based Yemeni Internet expert, regarding the launch of his new program Al-Kasir (means the circumventer in Arabic) – during a summit on blogging in Cairo which was entitled “Blogging for the Future“. Al-Kasir, which is currently available in its...
Armenia: Jethro Tull in Yerevan
A day before their concert in Yerevan, Armenia, Global Voices Online's Caucasus editor interviews Ian Anderson from the legendary British folk-rock band, Jethro Tull.
Europe: Alexander Rybak
Natalia Antonova writes on GlobalComment about Alexander Rybak, this year's winner of the Eurovision Song Contest.
Macedonia: French Military Cemetery in Skopje
Volan presents a photo and video story about the French Military Cemetery in Skopje that houses the remains of 2,930 soldiers from France and its colonies, including Morocco and Senegal, who have fallen during World War I on the Macedonian Front, aka Salonika front (1915-1918). The site presents a historical...
Video: 48 Hour Young Lions YouTube Contest and others you can join
Tonight could be your chance to make it big in the online video field, almost anywhere you live. All it takes is 48 hours to make, upload and get as many votes on your video, and you could go to the Cannes Film Festival. If you can't make it on time, don't worry: following is a list of other contests open for participants from all around the world.
Africa: Donating used underwear to African women!
A group called The Knickers For Africa is asking British women to donate their unwanted old underwear to African women. “Isn't this an insult to the women of Africa?,” asks Kojan at Zimbabwe Today.
Saudi Arabia: Thoughts from a London Trip
Saudi blogger Prometheus [Ar] is just back from the UK and shares his impressions from his visit and the people he saw there in this post. During his visit, he tells us about the books which are banned in our countries and are available in London, and the open heated debates between the media and politicians which are beamed on television screens. Read to the end to see his final conclusion.
Russia: Translation of Baymurat Story
Jost A Mon translates Roman Gruzov's Bolshoi Gorod text (RUS) about Baymurat, “an unlikely star” of the Russian internet, mentioned on GV back in April – here: “… a poorly dressed Tajik gastarbeiter who brilliantly performed the song ‘Jimmy Jimmy Jimmy Aaja’ from the Hindi film ‘Disco Dancer’ with such...
The Gurkhas: Long History Of Discrimination
The Gurkhas, young men from Nepal who serve in the British military, have served the Queen and the United Kingdom for almost two centuries. Unfortunately, the British government has been less than fair when it comes to honoring their service and sacrifice. The British press and blogopshere are buzzing about the new government proposal that is very unfair to the Gurkhas.
Saudi Arabia: Why are they better than us?
After a visit to the the UK's capital London, Saudi blogger Prometheus [Ar] asks: “As I was looking at all those monumental achievements, I asked myself: Why don't we have similar things? We aren't any less than others. We have immense wealth which, if it was used properly, our conditions...
Paris court investigates three African leaders
A Parisian judge has ordered an inquiry into alleged corruption and embezzlement on the part of three African heads of state: Denis Sassou-Nguesso of Congo-Brazzaville, Omar Bongo of Gabon, and Teodoro Obiang of Equatorial Guinea.
Global Health: “Swine Flu” In Images
Though concerns over the "swine flu" outbreak have eased, the virus continues to spread throughout the world. The World Health Organization announced today that there are now 4,379 confirmed cases of the virus in 29 countries. Here are some images of the swine flu's impact globally.
Global: Happy Mother's Day!
If one thing is true of all humankind, it is this: we all have mothers. And in many parts of the world, it is customary to celebrate our mothers with a special day: Mother's Day. Although the date varies, many countries are celebrating today, the second Sunday of May. From Denmark to Dominica, Peru to Pakistan, the United States to Uganda, bloggers of all ages are calling, visiting, or otherwise honoring their mothers today.
Ukraine, Germany: Interior Minister's Drunken Brawl
Foreign Notes and Ukrainiana (here and here) report on Ukrainian interior minister Yuri Lutsenko's drunken brawl at Frankfurt airport.
French Overseas Departments: Questioning the “Estates General”
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.
