1/10/13 Over 100 Killed in Pakistan

 Headlines:
Bombings kill 115 in Pakistan (Sydney Morning Herald):
 http://news.smh.com.au/breaking-news-world/bombings-kill-115-people-in-pakistan-20130111-2cjrb.html

Scores Killed in Multiple Pakistan Bombings (Al Jazeera)
 http://www.aljazeera.com/news/asia/2013/01/2013110113442325208.html

Two Separate Bombs Kill 32, hurt 100 in Pakistan cities (The Times of India):
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/pakistan/Two-separate-bombs-kill-32-hurt-100-in-Pakistan-cities/articleshow/17972200.cms


A series of attacks in Pakistan have left over 100 dead. A series of bombings, as well as a shooting, were performed by rebels in the region. There are at least 3 incidents of bombings from just today. Many of those killed were civilians.

1/09/13 Venezuelan President/Prisioner Exchange

Inauguration Date Legally Pushed Back

Venezuelan president Hugo Chavez was recently re-elected, but his inauguration is yet to happen. Chavez, currently ailing due to recent treatments for cancer, has not been well enough to accept the presidency. With Chavez yet to be seen, the question was whether it was legal to push back the inauguration date on which he can accept it. The issue with this is that his cabinet is currently ruling for the time being, and the push back date would allow this for a longer period of time, leading some to question who's truly in power at the moment. The Supreme Court ruled today that it was indeed legal to push back the inauguration date, and wait for Chavez to return to office at a later date.

 Prisoner Exchange

 In other news, an exchange was made between the Syrian government and the Syrian rebels. The rebels released 48 Iranians for 1,230 civilian prisoners, and the deal was brokered by Turkey and Qatar. This comes after the leader of the Syrian government's speech that declared they would continue to fight the "terrorists" in Syria.

Sources: Hugo Chavez story

New York Times
http://www.nytimes.com/2013/01/10/world/americas/would-be-inauguration-in-venezuela-for-chavez.html?partner=rss&emc=rss&_r=0

Los Angeles Times
http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/world/la-fg-venezuela-chavez-20130109,0,1722479.story?track=rss&utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+latimes%2Fnews%2Fnationworld%2Fworld+%28L.A.+Times+-+World+News%29&utm_content=Netvibes

Times of India
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/rest-of-world/Venezuela-delays-Hugo-Chavez-inauguration-as-crisis-deepens/articleshow/17951320.cms

BBC News
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-latin-america-20957164

Al Jazeera
http://www.aljazeera.com/news/americas/2013/01/201319231226159207.html

Prisioner Exchange Sources:

Ahram Times
http://english.ahram.org.eg/NewsContent/2/8/62083/World/Region/Syria-to-swap-prisoners-for-rebelheld-Iranians--Tu.aspx

China Daily
http://usa.chinadaily.com.cn/world/2013-01/10/content_16100817.htm

News 10/18: Bombing in Syria

The Syrian governmental forces have bombed the city of Maaret al-Numan, killing 44 people, including 23 children. The rebel held city was hit by at least ten bombs, and there are only three known survivors to the blast. One is a two year old, who survived in his deceased father's arms. More on the battles and killings in Syria can be found in earlier posts.

Source for this story: Al Jazeera (1 hour ago)

http://www.aljazeera.com/news/middleeast/2012/10/20121018225224351381.html

News 10/2: Mikheil Saakashvili Concedes Defeat to Bidzina Ivanishvili

Yesterday elections in Georgia (the country not the state) pitted the ruling party (United National Movement or UNM) and their leader Saakashvili, against the opposition Georgian Dream Party and their head figure, billionaire Ivanishvili. The Georgia Dream Party gained a majority of the popular votes counted so far, and before all the votes had been counted, the ruling party conceded defeat. Saakashvili will still remain president until October 2013 if he does not resign due to the country's current legislature. If the transfer of power would be peaceful, it would be one of the first peaceful transfers of power in the country's history since the Soviet Union collapsed in 1991. Saakashvili's reign has included a five-day war with Russia in 2008, as well as more recent examples of prisoner abuse and torture.

Sources:
Irish Times:

http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/breaking/2012/1002/breaking27.html

Times of India:

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/rest-of-world/Georgia-president-concedes-defeat-in-polls/articleshow/16640333.cms?

Al Jazeera:

http://www.aljazeera.com/news/europe/2012/10/2012102235751901671.html

Moscow Times:
This article is from yesterday, and starts with, "Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili’s ruling party claimed victory over the opposition Georgian Dream coalition in a parliamentary election Monday, despite exit polls pointing to a close race" This information was taken from the exit polls, which showed that the popular vote would go to the Georgian Dream Party, but Parliament would go to the ruling party and Saakashvili. Further news shows this statement to end up being incorrect.

http://www.themoscowtimes.com/news/article/georgia-votes-in-election-overshadowed-by-prison-scandal/469105.html

Location of Georgia

News 9/18/12: Madrid Protests

Madrid, Spain Protests Over Economy

In Madrid, Spain a protest has broken out over its government announcing several economic changes, including cutbacks and tax hikes. The Prime Minister's (Mariano Rajoy) Parliament is under great pressure after these changes, meant to lower their $64.47 billion dollar debt, by "cuts in inflation-linked pensions, taxes on stock transactions, "green taxes" on emissions or eliminating tax breaks." As well as cut backs in social benefits. (Ahram Online). 1,500 police officers were present in Madrid to deal with the protesters, and at least twenty people were arrested and a dozen people injured (BBC).

Sources:
Ahram Online (Egypt):

http://english.ahram.org.eg/NewsContent/2/9/53812/World/International/Spain-prepares-more-austerity,-protesters-clash-wi.aspx

Al Jazeera (Qatar):

http://www.aljazeera.com/news/europe/2012/09/2012925171843534520.html

BBC News (British):

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-19712203

Irish Times:

http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/breaking/2012/0925/breaking46.html

New York Times (American):

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/09/26/world/europe/protests-continue-in-spain.html?partner=rss&emc=rss&_r=0moc.semityn.www

News 9/24/12: Island Disputes

 China and Japan and Taiwan Dispute Over Islands
There is a growing dispute over a set of islands that are located between China, Taiwan, and Japan. All three countries are putting a claim to the islands after the Japanese government offered to buy the islands. Their offer was sparked by Shintaro Ishihara who offered to buy the islands for 26 million dollars. The area of the islands is a mere 3 miles total area, but its abundant in natural resources and has a large fishing business involved in it. China and Japan are in the process of negotiating the ownership of these islands. Today Taiwanese boats entered the area which is being safe guarded by Japanese ships, putting their own claim to the islands as well. The Japanese ships fired warning shots at the ships to try and alter their course but to no avail.
Sources:
BBC News: Article shows what importance the islands are to the nations, and why there is any reason to argue over them.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-19709355

Los Angeles Times: This article gave a good amount of evidence about the historical claims that each of the three nations have other this highly disputed area.

http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/world/la-fg-china-japan-islands-20120925,0,216163.story?track=rss&utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+latimes%2Fnews%2Fnationworld%2Fworld+%28L.A.+Times+-+World+News%29&utm_content=Netvibes

Lastly these two articles from Al Jazeera show the increasing tensions going on over this area of the world. The two articles, published less than two hours apart show the Taiwanese involvement into the already tense situation.
The first simply talks about when the Taiwanese boats entered the disputed Sea area:

http://www.aljazeera.com/news/asia-pacific/2012/09/201292505326112219.html

And the second article shows Japan's response to this action:

http://www.aljazeera.com/news/asia-pacific/2012/09/20129255327498152.html



Area under dispute is the Senkaku/Diaoyu islands. Picture from BBC News online.

News 9/20: Gas Protests and Bombings

Nation Wide Indian Protest in India

New economic reforms in India resulted in a mass one-day nationwide protest. The main opposition to the new reforms is led by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). The protest was begun after the government raised diesel prices by 14 %.  Schools, trains, bus routes, and large business have all come to a halt because of the protesters. The total cost for the protest is undetermined but some estimates go as high as 2.3 billion.
 

Sources:

Both links give a good explanation of the economic and political turmoil resulting from the protest. 

 From the Irish Times:

http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/breaking/2012/0920/breaking51.html

 

 From the Hurriyet Daily in Turkey:

http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/nationwide-strike-against-economic-reform-hits-india.aspx?pageID=238&nid=30606&NewsCatID=347

 

Bombing in Syria

A heavily civilian occupied gas station is bombed by government warplanes. The planes are believed to have used barrel bombs (bombs filled with TNT) killing at least 30 people, and as many as 110 have been reported as dead or wounded so far. The station is in Ayn Issa, in a town near a border post with Turkey (northern Raqqa Province). The station had been previously taken over by rebel groups 2 days ago. This bombing attempt on rebel forces has the largest casualty toll from military air craft yet.
 

From the New York Times:

This article goes in depth into the bombing and gives general information on the condition of Syria

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/09/21/world/middleeast/syria.html?partner=rss&emc=rss&_r=1

 

From China Daily:

Gives a very brief overview providing total of the number killed or wounded from its sources

http://usa.chinadaily.com.cn/world/2012-09/20/content_15772058.htm