Section dedicated to international events that tool place in 2009.

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8 PERSPECTIVES December 10, 2009 G
Mount Holyoke News
A December report announced the increase in temporary employment In June, a Paris upscale children’s boutique, Bon- British reality show Big Brother actress, Jade
by 52,400 jobs. In the past four months, temporary employment has in- point, broke the French national law which prohibits Goody, who was diagnosed with cervical can-
creased by 6.7 percent. shops from being open on Sundays. It opened pri- cer, decided to televise her last days on earth
vately for Michelle Obama and her daughters to shop on Britain’s channel Living T.V. She passed
during their summer trip to the city of fashion. away at age 27 in March, 2009.
In October, President Obama won the 2009 Nobel Peace Prize. The Nor-
wegian Nobel Committee awarded the Prize honoring Obama for his
“extraordinary efforts to strengthen international diplomacy and co-
operation between peoples.”
In November, Maine voters rejected a state law that would have ex-
tended marriage rights to same-sex couples. 53 percent of the voters
opposed gay marriage and 47 percent supported it.
As Vancouver prepares to host the 2010 Winter Olympics in February,
many animal rights activists and indigenous rights supporters plan to
boycott the event. They are petitioning against Canada’s seal slaughter
and for land ownership rights for British Columbia’s native popula-
tion.
Founded in 1939, the Nikolski School in Alaska closes
this year as it needed just ten students to continue op-
erations. It found only nine.
On June 25, the King of Pop, Michael Jackson,
was pronounced dead after he suffered a cardiac
arrest at his home in Los Angeles. Speculations
about the death of the pop star led to an official
statement defining Jackson’s death as a homi-
cide from an accidental overdose.
In October, Microsoft dispatched senior executives to Al-
geria to discuss the slow pace at which technology is
being introduced in the region.
In July, U.S. President Barack Obama made his first official trip to
sub-Saharan Africa as he visited Ghana. The country was selected as
the President’s destination because of its democratic development.
In April, Google launched a revised Flu Trends tool, especially cus-
tomized for Mexico. The search engine hopes to facilitate healthcare
inititaives and track the spread of the flu.
In October, the International Olympic Committee voted to hold the
2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The city will also host
the 2014 Soccer World Cup.
Spain’s Real Madrid soccer team purchased 24-year-old soccer star,
Cristiano Ronaldo, from Britain’s Manchester United for a whop-
ping $131 million in June, 2009. The Portuguese native is expected to
help Real Madrid win the Spanish League in 2010.
In May, Veronica Lario, the wife of Italy’s Prime Minister Silvio
Berlusconi, asked for a divorce as she accused her husband of an
affair with teenage model Noemi Letizia. Lario demanded £39 mil-
lion ($65 million) a year in alimony during the divorce proceedings.
Arab doctors met in April in Jordan to determine The East African Trading Bloc—Kenya,
the cause of death of the former Palestinian ruler Tanzania, Uganda, Rwanda and Burundi—
In September, President Hugo Chávez of Venezuela announced that Yasir Arafat, due to suspicions of poisoning. The signed the Common Market Protocol to
his country recognized the independence of Russia-backed republics medical reports of the late Arafat retrieved by the allow free trade between the five nations.
Abkhazia and South Ossetia. In response, Russia’s President Dmitri Times later revealed that there was no apparent
Medvedev promised to supply Venezuela with all the weapons that proof of poisoning.
their “friends order.”
South Africa continues the count down as it prepares for the 2010
World Cup. Three new stadiums and two new multi-sport complexes
are being built. Five are being renovated.

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December 10, 2009 G
Mount Holyoke News PERSPECTIVES 9
In June, elections to the European parliament A mutation of the H1N1 flu virus is In November President Obama called for the Chinese government to
were held, and 736 members from 27 member spreading in the Ukraine. Latest reports stop blocking Chinese Internet users from visiting Web sites like
countries were selected. This is the largest ever show the death toll has now reached 446. Facebook and YouTube. Ironically, his appeal was deleted from
transnational electoral contest. media programs and the complete speech available on the Internet
was blocked in China.
In November, the Nevsky Express, an express train between Moscow
and St. Petersburg was derailed by a bomb. Islamists from the North
Caucasus claimed responsibility for the bombing that killed 39 and in-
jured over 100.
The Chinese government launched a worldwide advertising campaign
in an attempt to promote “made-in-China” products. Although some
critics deem the campaign futile, China sees it as an opportunity to re-
inforce trading collaboration with other countries.
Last year, Japan created the most expensive 24k-gold Christmas tree
worth £1 million. This year, Tokyo’s Christmas celebrations features a
more modest holiday celebration—a Christmas tree installation by
artist Masaru Ozaki.
Anime Festival Asia, the largest anime festival in
Southeast Asia, was held in Singapore in November.
Fans across the Southeast Asian region flocked to
Singapore in celebration of Japanese anime culture.
The second presidential elections in Afghanistan
were held on Aug., 20, and were characterized by vi-
olent protests and political turmoil. The incumbent
Hamid Karzai, was declared the winner of the elec-
tions.
The International Monetary Fund projected a growth in On Jan. 2, Australia’s Prime Minister, Julia
the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of several Middle-East Gillard, expressed the likelihood that former Held every five years, this year’s multi-faith fes-
nations by 2010. Since the rise in global oil prices, Middle Guantanamo detainees would not be admitted tival of the Parliament of the World’s Religions.
East economies have seen improvement – the region main- into the country. Though the Australian govern- which runs from Dec. 3 to Dec. 9, is now set to re-
tained a 2 percent growth estimate and is expected to ex- ment supported U.S. efforts to close down the ceive about 8,000 attendees from different reli-
hibit a 4.2 percent estimate in the following year. Guantanamo prison, they were not promising ac- gious groups. The relationship of the West with
ceptance of the ex-detainees. Islam will be discussed among other important
global issues. The closing address will be given
Graphic by Ioulia Bespalova