Protests against new laws passed by the conservative Spanish government erupted in Madrid on Saturday. People were expressing their anger at laws that severely restrict protests: “demonstrating near parliament without permission could result in a fine as high as 600,000 euro (US$824,040), while insulting a police officer could cost a demonstrator up to 30,000 euro ($41,202)”. Such draconian laws are reminiscent of laws passed in the 1930s in many European states. Very few media outlets in the US are reporting this news–perhaps they do not regard such actions as “newsworthy”.
Michele Bachelet was elected President of Chile in a landslide victory–62% of the vote. This will be Bachelet’s third term as President. She is best described as a moderate socialist, but she also had a very pragmatic approach to politics. The Chilean economy has done well in recent years due to strong demand for its primary export, copper. Bachelet made educational reform her primary campaign promise, and her campaign was well-received by Chilean youth.
China landed a six-wheeled rover named Jade Rabbit on the moon. It is the first soft landing on the moon in about 37 years, and China is only the third country to accomplish that feat. The technological feat is extraordinary, especially given the state of the Chinese economy in 1969, the year that the US sent astronauts to the moon. Chinese space plans are quite ambitious and it is clearly in the front ranks of the world’s most technologically advanced countries.
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