London Producer
Siobhan Wornell is a former producer for The World based in London.
Francois Hollande can't catch a break. He's not only unpopular, but people say he's boring. The answer? A new speechwriter, who is also a rapper. And Pakistanis are buzzing about a new $600 designer shoe that looks a lot like a popular $6 Pakistani sandal. Also, is an Indian guru dead or just in a deep meditation? All that, in today's Global Scan.
North Korea is about to have another election. And though the winners are not in doubt, government leaders still want a huge turnout, so they are turning to poems exhorting people to vote. Plus, at the NSA, even the spies are fed up ... with being spied on. All that and more, in today's Global Scan.
British Prime Minister David Cameron probably hoped to show he was on the ball when he tweeted this photo of himself discussing Ukraine with US President Barack Obama. It had the opposite effect as parody moved into overdrive on Twitter.
Russia's conga line through Crimea has left many of us scratching our heads. The online site Mashable offers nine basic questions, and answers. That story, plus a look at an Indian grocery store's social media marketing plan gone wrong and the music inspiring Venezuela's protesters.
Facebook seems poised to bring Internet to the world, quite literally. The company is reported to be on the verge of buying a drone manufacturer to do just that. That, however, wasn't what led the pope to utter a rather coarse profanity in front of a large audience over the weekend. His F-bomb was actually just a mistake in pronunciation. Those stories and more in today's Global Scan.
if you've ever thought about climbing Mount Everest, you better pack an extra trash bag. A new rule requires all climbers to bring down eight kilograms of garbage over and above their own trash. Odds are they won't be bringing down banana peals, at least if you believe new research that bananas could be under threat. That and more, in today's Global Scan.
If you've ever wanted to own a London Tube station, you may have just missed your opportunity. The UK Ministry of Defense recently sold a station its held since World War II — for a whopping $89 million. A few hundred miles to the north of that station, in Scotland, the country's politicians have decided to open their doors to Uganda's gay people who may be seeking asylum. Those stories and more in today's Global Scan.
If you're a stray cat in Beijing, the Forbidden City is the place for you. The museums there use stray cats to protect their artifacts from rats and other vermin. In Ukraine, they're less interested in stray cats and more interested in Bitcoins — the cryptocurrency may be a quick way to support the protesters who are still camped in Independence Square.
Qatar has been blasted for its treatment of its laborers — and a new report paints an unpleasant picture of what those jobs can be like. Plus Switzerland considers a big increase to its minimum wage and a Beijing student sees smog as a way to put smiles on people's faces.
The pollution situation much of China has gotten incredibly serious — with some experts comparing it to a nuclear winter. Meanwhile the situation for gay people in Uganda is also dire, after a local tabloid printed the names of 200 "prominent homosexuals." That and more in today's Global Scan.
McDonald's in Spain has been stumped by the Spanish culture of skipping breakfast in favor of a late dinner. So the company is trying something new with its menu. In the UK, a series of powerful storms have uncovered an ancient coastal forest. And if you are looking for a new vacation spot, you really should consider Siberia. That, plus more, in today's Global Scan.