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YouTubers will be let down by the Queen of Jordan
The latest member of the YouTube community is none other than Queen Rania of Jordan. In an effort to challenge western stereotypes about the Arab world, the net-surfing monarch decided to launch an online debate. Yet, after attracting almost 5000 responses, she seems to have lost interest in the scheme. Read more...
Elections in Italy: "The only candidate was Veltrusconi"
Italian comedian Beppe Grillo called on the Italian electorate to boycott yesterday's parliamentary elections. On his blog, considered by Technorati as one of the world's top ten most popular, he slates the corruption of Italian politicians and the dependency of the media. Here, he comments on the elections for the Observers. Read more...
Clinton "so proud of Wal-Mart" footage made public
Clinton on stage with Wal-Mart founder Sam Walton
She doesn't talk about it in her speeches - or her autobiography, or the official bio on her campaign website - but Hillary Clinton was a board director of the controversial retail giant Wal-Mart for six years. Footage released on Thursday shows the presidential hopeful at a store opening in 1991 with floods of praise for the company. Wal-Mart founder Sam Walton, calls her a "great friend of ours." Read more...
Abraham Bojorquez, no bling-bling rapper
"Polygamous relationships tend to be very successful"
Image taken from Mormon Polygamy: A History
Following a call from a 16-year-old girl claiming she was sexually abused and assaulted by her 50-year-old husband, a fundamentalist Mormon compound where men have several wives has been raided and 419 children taken into temporary custody by Texan authorities. Carlene Cannon, who lives in the same type of community, explains why the incident "totally disregarded civil rights" and defends polygamy. Read more...
Yacht hijack: should France pay the pirates?
Photo from the French military
A French luxury yacht hijacked by pirates on the coast of Somalia last Friday has highlighted a vast and growing problem in uncontrolled waters. Local bloggers explain that if the pirates get their ransom, attacks will only be encouraged. Read more...
"It's this kind of revolt that can turn into a revolution"
Protesters tear down a picture of Mubarak. Photo by Mohamed Gaber.
What was supposed to be a workers' strike turned into violent riots in north eastern Egypt on Sunday resulting in 150 arrests, around 100 injured and at least one dead. Our Observers in the country explain why. Read more...
"Putting out the flame is really going to upset the Chinese people"
The Olympic flame had to be put out for half an hour during its tour around Paris because of havoc caused by mainly pro-Tibetan protesters. ChinaWolf, who set up a YouTube channel to "defend the Chinese reputation", explains to us why he thinks the protests were unacceptable. Read more...
Bollywood singing out for condoms
A group of Indian campaigners is singing and dancing their way to the glorification of condom use. It's a crucial fight in their region, where two percent of the population is HIV positive. And the result - a Bollywood style video clip - is hilarious. Read more...
Cristina Kirchner versus the pots and pans
Bang your pan at Evita!
"I banged my pan at Evita [reference to Eva Peron - allusion to Cristina Kirchner] ...and it felt good!"
Argentinean farmers are objecting to president Cristina Kirchner over tax increases on agricultural exports and her apparent intention to create a rift between the poor and the farmers. After three weeks of severe strikes, which have left the country paralysed, the workers have agreed to start negotiations. Read more...
