Dubstep Music... & the Latest in Japan, Egypt, Libya, and Haiti

In response to requests to blog about dubstep music, I will say that dubstep is amazing music and I am excited to learn about the music culture in Ghana next year. (Perhaps they will have something similar to dubstep? who knows!)

Elsewhere around the world this weekend, the aftermath of the earthquake and tsunami in Japan continues to unfold with continuing problems cooling nuclear reactors, food with higher than normal levels of radiation, and on a happier note, rescuers have found a grandmother and a young child in the rubble nine days after the disaster. Today was a landmark day in Egypt as the public was invited to vote on constitutional changes with  41% of 45 million eligible voters voting and 77.2% of those voters voted in favour of the changes. The conflict in Libya is continuing to escalate as the international community has become involved, with troops from the United States and Europe moving in to protect citizens. This military action, unlike the invasion of Iraq, was backed by the United Nations. Haiti is back in the headlines as the presidential elections take place today and some conflicting reports of Wyclef Jean (former member of the Fugees), and if he has been shot or has cut his hand on some glass.

Japan
Immediately following last Friday's earthquake and tsunami, the Japanese government has remained relatively unconcerned about the potential nuclear meltdown at several reactors. Cooling systems have failed and operators are taking drastic measures to try to cool the reactors including using salt water which has never been tried before. Toronto Star reporters in Japan suggested that while the Japanese people have been pleased with the quick responses from the government following the disaster, they might not be as happy with the government once the nuclear issues come to light. There are some clear discrepancies between Japanese media reports and those of Western journalists. For the mostpart, Japanese reports of the nuclear crisis downplayed the severity of the overheating reactors and maintained that operators had the situation under control. Outside reports painted a very different picture of the situation which is cause for alarm.
There are clear radiation leaks, tainted milk has been discovered 30km from the power plant and tainted spinach has been found up to 100km away. While the excess radiation is very slight (less than 1/5 of the radiation a person receives during a CAT scan), Japanese officials have banned the sale and export of foodstuffs and produce near the power plant sites.
Continued conflicting reports as to the current status of the nuclear plants in Japan are abundant with some claiming that the situation is under control, others claiming that the situation is worsening. Some cheerful news also from Japan this weekend as a grandmother and child were discovered in the rubble 9 days after the earthquake.

Egypt
Today marked the beginning of a new Egypt and has set the groundwork for presidential and parliamentary elections in the coming months. The constitutional amendments are supposed to facilitate the election process. This is an exciting time as for many Egyptians, this is the first free vote of their lives (really in 50 years). There are concerns about potential clashes between Christians and Muslims as violent confrontations between the two groups have continued to occur since Mubarak was forced out of office. Despite these concerns, 41% of the 45 million eligible voters cast a vote with an overwhelming 77.2%voting in favour of the proposed changes.

Libya
The situation in Libya continues to escalate as forces have entered the country in a United Nations- backed operation. Their objective is to protect the citizens of Libya. In response to the foreign forces attacking his army, Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi vowed a "long war" as foreign forces continue to move in. Rebels lost considerable ground in recent weeks as they were unable to compete against Gadhafi's overwhelming military power. The Pope has issued a statement regarding the crisis in Libya. Pope Benedict XVI has urged for those in a position of power to provide access to humanitarian aid and to protect Libyan civilians.

Haiti
The presidential elections are underway in Haiti today. Wyclef Jean was seen casting a ballot in the election despite suffering an injury to his hand.

It has been a busy weekend around the world. Hopefully the unrest in the Middle East will be nearer conclusion