Three things you must know this week…

1) In Athens on Wednesday, protests against a planned austerity measure turned violent when members of the crowd began to throw rocks and petrol bombs. The police responded by firing tear gas. These protests, led by trade unions, are the first major confrontation the three-month-old coalition government has faced. The austerity package will cut billions of Euros from state salaries and pensions. The conservative governing coalition is under immense pressure to pass these and other cuts from its international creditors. Prime Minister Samaras is expected to decide whether or not to pass the austerity budget on Thursday – ‘a rock and a hard place’ comes to mind..

2) With tensions high on the international diplomatic stage, all eyes are concentrated on the United Nations annual General Assembly this week to see how the major global powers interact. Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon began the Assembly on a somber note, highlighting the violence in the Middle East, the threat of nuclear conflict, the ongoing issue of climate change, and the severe lack of international medical aid to help alleviate those suffering from Fresher’s Flu. Secretary General Ki-Moon strongly condemned violence in Syria, and stressed that the situation is deteriorating every day and has flowed into neighboring countries. President Obama used his speech to the General Assembly to strongly defend America’s belief in the right to freedom of speech. President Obama urged fledging Arab and North African democracies to guarantee this right for all their citizens. Obama also said that the United States will “do what it must” to stop Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon.

3) In central Damascus on Wednesday morning, the second day of intensified bombings in the capital, at least two large explosions struck a military headquarters and set fire to the building. It is believed that the cause was roadside bombs. Diplomats living in the area said these bombings were the biggest explosions they had experienced. The Syrian State Media announced that there had been no human casualties. The explosions have exhibited the capability of anti-government forces to attack centers of power.