Friday, January 28, 2011

Weekly Worldnews Roundup 1

Welcome to the first edition of the Weekly Worldwide Roundup. Just a bit of a rundown over what's been happening around the place over the last week or so. I've dug up a few interesting articles and things for you to look at, so check 'em out! Anyways, here goes...

It has been an interesting newsweek worldwide, especially in the Middle East and Africa, particularly in Egypt, Yemen, Jordan and Algeria, where people have been inspired by the successful recent uprising in Tunisia, which resulted in the countries president Zine El Abdine Ben Ali fleeing the country and the entire parliament being sacked. (Read on)

For four days has the battle raged on between the people of Egypt and the Government and Police Force. The riots are in direct response to the massive unemployment, rising food prices and poverty that the majority of people find themselves in, and they have had enough. The government has completely cut off all internet and media in an attempt to curb the uprising, but have been unsuccessful in stopping the protests. (More here, and here).

For more info relationg to the unrest in Yemen, Jordan and Algeria, go Here.

In Lebanon, a strange paradox, with people actually out on the streets in the name of the heavily sectarian Hezbollah Organistion, which has been named by the U.S. and others as being a terrorist organisation. It's pretty hard to know what to make of it all, but a full report can be found here.

A referendum has been held in Sudan this week, with the country's South going to the polls for a secession (Separation from the north), in an attempt to form their own government and become an independent state due to the ignorance shown to their plight by their government. Whether this turns out for good or ill, we shall see, the country of Sudan has been in turmoil for years and knows bloodshed all so well. Further opinions and the bigger picture can be found at Global Voices.

In the US, most news is centred around Barack Obama's annual State of The Union Address, which he gave on thursday. Reviews are a bit mixed it seems, particularly in terms of the budget and how realistic his economic plans actually are, and his approach to tackling the massive debt the country is in. More here. Barck Obama's full speech can be found right here.

Back here in Australia, political news has been dominated by the new tax being brought in on high-income earners to help with the Queensland flood crisis, and the other long and short term effects of the floods across the board, and assessments of the damage. Gillard is due to face some opposition to this tax, as is to be expected, but strangely enough I think it's a good idea. Elsewise everybody's going to have to pay, low earners included. Fact of the matter is, somebody's got to pay for it, and the Government doesn't have any fuckin' money. More comprehensive coverage here, and here. 

Anyways that's just about it for this weekend's edition. Hope you all had a great Australia Day!

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