Article 6

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/02/20/world/americas/in-mexico-prison-riot-kills-at-least-44-people.html
This article is titled: "Gangs Blamed as Riot Kills Dozens at Prison in Mexico" and is by Randal C. Archibold.

This article talks about a riot that happened in a Mexican prison this February. Apparently, there is a huge problem with overcrowding in prisons, and this recent riot left 44 dead. Though this particular riot happened because of two rival gangs within the same prison striking out at each other, overcrowding is a huge problem in prisons all over Latin America and has been pinpointed as a cause of the recent fire in a Honduras prison that killed 359 people. Many prisons are holding twice their capacity and most of those incarcerated are there for drug related charges in a country that is being overrun by corruption and drug trafficking. There have also been claims that prison guards and supervises may have been involved and at fault.

 

Article 5

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/03/31/business/global/labor-shortage-complicates-changes-in-chinas-factories.html?ref=china&pagewanted=print
This article is titled: "Two Sides to Labor in China" by Keith Bradsher

This article talks about Foxconn's decision to shorten the workweeks and raise the pay for factory workers in China. Though this may seem like a good idea at first glance, this article details the issues surrounding it. There are actually not as many people willing to work in the grueling and dangerous factories as many have been led to believe. While shortening the weeks for those currently employed seems like the humane thing to do, there are many who are actually working in the factories who are against it. Shorter weeks mean less hours and, subsequently, less pay. The people working in the factories are young and many are living away from home so they can work in the factories. They don't want to do anything but work as they want to make what they need and to get back home as soon as possible. By reducing the hours that people can work, they are actually stopping people from working as much as they want and as they need and are creating shortages that China's workforce might not be able to cope with as the people who want to work in the Foxconn factories are already working there. What people aren't taking into account is that there are many people who actually want more for themselves than minimum wage.

 

Article 4

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/03/07/world/europe/women-bearing-the-brunt-of-austerity-in-britain.html?ref=unitedkingdom&pagewanted=print

This article is titled: "Women Bearing the Brunt of Austerity in Britain" and is by Beth Gardiner.

This article talks about how women are the ones who are feeling the reduction in service the most in Great Britain. Because, topically, it is the women who stay home with the children and who tend to be poorer, the reduction in serves under Prime Minister Cameron is hitting the women of Great Britain hard. According to this article, there has been a severe reduction in funding for childcare services, and there are plans in switching to an all private child care society as there are plans to git rid of public child care within the next two years. Many predict this will pull women out of the workforce as they will have no choice but to stay home with their children as many can not afford private care. This will be devastating to those who rely on the income from the women in the family and will be especially difficult for single mothers who will have no other sources of income. There are also plans to reduce social security while increasing the retirement age. While it is clear from what we studied that reforms must be made as there is simply not enough money, I wonder if reduction in child care is really the right way to go.

Article 3

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/03/15/world/africa/hostages-in-nigeria-were-executed-before-raid-to-rescue-them.html
This article is titled: "Nigeria Says Hostages Died Before Failed Rescue Raid" and is by the Associated Press which is the New York Times.

This article talks about two hostages one from Italy and one from Britain who were murdered before they were able to be rescued. Apparently, this is not the first instances of hostages being killed before rescue as another similar thing happened earlier this year. Though the government seems to have tried to stop it, it seems from the article that there is some funky buisnuss going on and that the government is trying really hard to make sure none of the blame is place on them. Apparently, the kidnapping was done by the sect Boko Haram who seems to be some sort of violent group within Nigeria. The people searching for the hostages came close, having found Abu Muhammad, the organizer of the kidnapping, and shooting him, but there was someone who escaped and was able to run back to where the hostages were being held and to have them executed before they were able to be saved.

 

Article 2

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/03/15/world/middleeast/iran-ahmadinejad-questioned-before-parliament-majlis.html
This article is titled: "Iran's President Unfazed in Parliamentary Grilling" and is by Rick Gladstone and Alan Cowell.

This article discussed an interesting interrogation of Iran's president, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, in a rare broad casted event unlike any seen since 1979. This interrogation is considered by many to be some sort of plot to humiliate the president and to make him look bad, and if what this article says it true, it may have done just that. Due to recent strife with the supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, and due to the nonsense surrounding the 2009 election, there is much dissatisfaction with Ahmadinejad, and this interrogation of 10 questions was a way to voice dissent. From the beginning, Ahmadinejad made it clear that he did not want to be there and was rude and evasive while answering the questions and even sarcastic at times. He equated the writers of the questions to people who, "must have gotten their masters by just pressing a button," offending many. Basically, Ahmadinejad is on the way down. Though the idea of impeachment was thrown around, no one really believes that it will actually happen, but many believe that this is going to be the end of his reign and that the next president will not be his pupil, but rather someone completely different. I wonder if this is the start of a new era for Iran.

Article 1

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/04/01/world/americas/mexicos-presidential-race-could-be-pivotal.html?_r=1&ref=mexico

This article is titled: "Investigating Beheadings, 12 Officers Slain in Mexico" by The Associated Press (which is the new york times)

Basically, this article talks about the 12 officers who were killed and the 11 wounded by gunmen in Mexico as they were investigating the beheadings of seven men and three women. From what I can understand from this article, the beheaded people were somehow associated with  La Familia, which is a drug cartel that's base is located in the mountains near where the bodies were found. The act of voilence seemed to have come from someone who was against the drug cartel as the bodies were found with a note threatning the cartel. I think all the drug violence in Mexico is just really sad and I don't think that it is going to stop any time soon because the government is involved and they have plenty of customers, including the United States who are buying everything they're selling. I feel like the United States is inadvertantly funding a terrorist organization by just refusing to leagalize marajuana. From what I've heard and seen, most of the appeal of marajuana revolves around the fact that it is illegal. I think if we made it legal we'd be taking a huge step in attempting to stop all the violence that is goign on in Mexico surrounding these drug cartels.