Foreign Current Event #3 - Great Britain - Welsh Politics News

     Plaid Cymru (pronounced Pla-eed Kem-ree) is a Welsh regional political party. Formed in 1925, it didnt gain any seats in parliament until the 1960's. With devolution begining to occur, Welsh political parties are starting to gain more power. Plaid Cymru is one of the smaller Welsh parties but is growing in support.
     The current leader of the party, Ieuan Wyn Jones (pronounced Yoo-wan Oo-wen Jones), is stepping down this year and is taking responsibility for the party's poor turnout during the last election. Election ballots have been sent out to Plaid Cymru members and lower-level leaders to appoint a new leader. The results will be known by March 15th. Candidates are competing over their views on issues such as water access rights and nuclear power in the Dwyfor Meirionnydd (pronounced Doo-er-vour May-reeo-neth) region of the nation. Wales, a country that is a leader in biomass-based fuel sources, is starting to see more support for nuclear power. Jobs, clean energy and improved infrastructure are all hopes for the new party leadership.

Foreign Current Event #2 - Nigerian Confilct in the North

     This Monday, the northern Nigerian city of Maiduguri was disturbed by a break out of fighting in the city's market. The fighting was started by the Radical Islamist sect called Boko Haram. That name literally means "Western culture is forbidden" and the group's goal is to stop western influences in the country. Although the suspected cause of the attack is increasing tention between the Muslin north and the governments attempts to stop the spread of Shariah Law, it is really just the result of the long-building tensions likely due to economic and social disparity between the north and south. Southern Nigeria is mainly Christian and is wealthier due to rich oil reserves off the coast. Northern Nigeria, which is almost completely Muslim, has suffered due to a weak economy and unequal distribution of oil-based funds.

   http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/africa/explosions-gun-battles-rage-in-northeast-nigeria-city-thats-home-to-radical-islamist-sect/2012/02/20/gIQActxIPR_story.html

Foreign Current Event #1 - Russia in Chaos

It has been a common sight on the news and in the papers; tens of thousands of people standing in the streets in front of the Kremlin in Moscow. In the coldest European winter in decades, these people stood in protest in the cold for hours...why? Well, it has to do with the recent controversy that has broken out over the re-election efforts of Vladimir Putin. Some videos came out during the elections of what appeared to be stuffed ballot-boxes, before the voting even started. Putin, although he hasn't been the president over the past few years, has still been the main source of power in the country. This is due in part to the complex set-up of the government, which had both a president and a prime minister. Although there were large numbers of people in protest this weekend, it is not necessarily representative of the popular view. Putin has great support in the country, much of which is through United Russia.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/europe/russians-give-putin-cold-shoulder/2012/02/04/gIQAW47DpQ_story.html