Jordan Uprising

حديث الثورة
Subject of today's "Revolution Talk" on Al-Jazeera, Arabic channel,
are the latest events in Jordan:

آلاف المتظاهرين في مناطق من الأردن يخرجون في مسيرات سلمية تحت عنوان جمعة القسم
Thousands of supporters in the districts of Jordan [take to the streets
joining] peaceful marches on the occasion of the Friday prayers.

هتافات المتظاهرين في مسيرات جمعة القسم تطالب بإصلاح النظام و العدالة الإجتماعية
[Participants] on their marches of the Friday prayers acclaiming
the demands of a reformation of the regime and social justice.

المتظاهرون في مسيرات "جمعة القسم" يرفضون التعديلات الدستورية و يطالبون بدستور ديمقراطي
The supporters on the Friday prayers' marches reject modifications to
the [present] constitution and demand a [new] democratic constitution.

المتظاهرون أدوا قسما تعهدوا فيه بمواصلة حراكهم السلمي إلى حين تحقيق الإصلاح
The supporters swear to commit themselves to the continuation
of their peaceful movement until reforms are realized.



Above picture: Participants of today's "Revolution Talk"
- Amir Abu Rasae (left), coordinator of relations within the Coordination
of Youth Movements in Jordan.
- Hani al-Durani (right), director of the New Jordanian Center of Studies.

JAPAN - New Earthquake and Tsunami Warning

Tonight, an earthquake of 7.0 magnitude hit the north-eastern part of Japan, same region as effected by the Fukushima disaster. The shaking of the earth could be noticed even in Tokyo. There is danger of a Tsunami to arrive at the eastern coast of Japan's main island. Reported by CNN.

2011 - The World in Space

UPDATE: Atlantis lift-off on July 8, 11:30 local time.


U.S. space agency NASA announce their last space shuttle mission to take place on Friday this week. Space shuttle Atlantis will then take off for the final mission.

The United States, once leading in space research, are now being challenged by other countries, once regarded as rather poor developing nations. Here are the space contenders to the U.S.:

Russia $ 3.8 Billion Budget. / Responsible for 40% of all actual space launches. / Now in control of International Space Station ISS.

China $ 2 Billion Budget. / Carried out a manned space mission in 2003. / Plannings: Chinese Space Station, 2025 Man on Moon.

India $ 1.45 Billion Budget. / Carried out a Moon Mission in 2008. / Plannings: 2016 Man on Moon.


Brazil in Space


Brazilian astronaut Marcos Pontes (left) who took part in a mission to the International Space Station ISS in 2006, together with his Russian and U.S. colleagues whom he accompanied on a Russian spacecraft. Pontes came from a very poor Brazilian worker's family and had already to work at the age of 14. Now, he's a national hero.



China on its Way to Mars


"Mars - We are steadily getting closer".

Below: A shortcut of the actual Chinese Mars project, using the homebuilt "Glowworm" measuring device. The Glowworm project makes part of an international programm, called Mars 500. On some of the planned missions from 2011 to 2018, China and Russia are working together. [Click to the below picture for a better resolution of the Chinese text.]




Frozen Ocean on Mars - recorded by ESA's device "Mars Express".

SYRIA - Political Unrest and Economic Decay

الاقتصاد و السياسة في سوريا
Economy and Politics in Syria

After weeks of political uprising, accompanied by repeated military crackdown on protesters and waves of immigration into Turkey and Lebanon, the people of Syria will have to recognize that their country's economy, as well, is driving from bad to worse. Here some news from the Arabic service of Al-Jazeera TV.


رؤية الحكومة للوضع الاقتصادي
Reflection(s) of the Government on the Economic Situation:

سوريا غنية جدا و الحكومة تحاول تعبئة موارد الدولة
Syria is very rich and the government tries to mobilize national resources.

ما أشيع عن تهاوي الصادرات بنسب تفوق 40% أقوال تنطوي على مبالغات
It is unsatisfactory that the decline of exports is related to a predicted increase of 40% which is [already much] exaggerated.

---

مؤشرات سلبية
Negative Indicators:

صندوق النقد يتوقع انكماش معدل نمو الاقتصاد السورية إلى %3
The [international] monetary fund has predicted an overall reduction of economic growth of 3%.

يعني هذا الانكماش تسريح مئات الالاف من وظائفهم
In other words, that shrinking [of economy] will set free hundreds of thousands [of employees] from their jobs.

كما يعني ذلك الأمر تراجع القدرات الشرائية للمواطنية السوريين
That means, as well, it is in fact a regression of spending power within the Syrian population.