1. Public Sector Workers in Greece Call General Strike. Government employees called a general strike in Greece to protest budget cuts and emergency tax hikes. The austerity measures, they claim, are too severe and will harm the livelihoods of Greek workers. International organizations like the European Union and the International Monetary Fund have pushed for these measures in order to reduce Greek debt and open up the possibility of further financial aid for the cash-strapped nation. Ireland, Portugal, and Italy have also been hit hard by economic problems, but no nation has seen the level of civil unrest that was evident in Greece. (Source: BBC)

2. Red Cross Delivers Aid to Besieged Libyan City. The International Red Cross delivered medical supplies to the Libyan city of Sirte a few days after being forced to stay away from the city due to heavy fighting. Sirte is among the last loyalist strongholds in Libya, which was recently taken over by the National Transitional Council (NTC). The United Nations has recognized the NTC as the legitimate representative of Libya, as have over a hundred other nations, but elements of the old government let by Moammar Gadhafi are still calling for Libyans to fight against forces loyal to the NTC. (Source: Fox News)

3. Amanda Knox Released from Prison. After four years in prison, an Italian court overturned Amanda Knox’s guilty verdict for the murder of her roommate, Meredith Kercher. Knox and her ex-boyfriend, Raffaele Sollecito, had been arrested for the murder despite the fact that the prosecution could not place either Knox or Sollecito in the vicinity of the murder when it took place. The court upheld a charge of defamation, citing that Knox falsely accused another innocent person for committing the murder, but gave Knox credit for time served. Knox was released from prison shortly after the ruling, and has returned to her hometown of Seattle. (Source: CNN)

4. Russia, China Veto UN Resolution to Condemn Syria. The United Nations Security Council failed to pass a resolution condemning Syria for its crackdown against protesters after two permanent members, China and Russia, exercised their power to veto the resolution. Nine other countries voted in favor, and four countries chose to abstain from the vote. The UN ambassadors from Russia and China stated that they vetoed the resolution because there was no language prohibiting foreign military intervention. The UN estimates that approximately 2,700 have been killed in Syria since March, when the crackdown against protesters began. (Source: BBC)

5. War in Afghanistan has Lasted 10Years. The United States has seen combat in Afghanistan for over a decade – longer than the Soviet occupation of Afghanistan in the 1980s, which contributed to the ultimate breakup of the Soviet Union. The war began with aerial bombing in the wake of the 9/11 attacks, and the Afghan government’s intent to harbor elements of al-Qaeda. The necessity of the war itself has come into question ever since Osama bin Laden was discovered outside of the country. Supporters, however, cite advances in healthcare and education after the U.S.-led invasion. U.S. forces are set to withdraw from Afghanistan by 2014. (Source: CNN)