Top stories update


As I noted previously, there are three particularly important news stories in the present day: the Western debt crisis, rising Islamism in the Mideast and discontent and uncertainty in China.

In this morning's news, we have riots in Greece as the government makes some gestures toward cost control, and a report that Iran is prepared to carry out suicide boat attacks in the Persian gulf. The Tibet situation continues to ferment, of course, and has spilled over into parts of Sichuan, and a young nun has burned herself to death.

On the other side of China, the village of Wukan is in the process of electing its own officials. You may remember that late last year, Wukan rebelled against what residents perceived as a dishonest land grab by officials.

No news reports of discontent, at this time, from points between eastern and western China. That must mean nothing is happening. . . or being reported.

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