Easy News Digest: 10 Things You Might Have Missed This Weekend

Revealed: The Age That You Should Be Getting Married If You Want To Avoid Divorce

We've seperated the wheat from the chaff and broken down the weekend news into bite-sized chunks. 

This week it's mainly doom and Froome.

Greece Almost Did A Bank Heist On Themselves

WHO

Former energy minister Panagiotis Lafazanis and ex-finance minister Yanis Varoufakis

WHAT

The two ministers from Greece’s leading party have been attributed with a secret plan to raid central bank reserves and hack taxpayer accounts to prepare a return to the drachma. They were fired.

WHY CARE

Greece’s chaos could fracture the European Union as we know it.

Assad Showing Weaknesses In Syria

WHO

President Bashar al-Assad

WHAT

The Syrian president stated that the Syrian army has had to give up some areas in the war against rebels to hang on to others. A soldier shortage (five years of civil war will do that) means the regime’s army is lacking in manpower.

WHY CARE

What happens in Syria could massively affect the region and the problem of IS. With Turkey’s recent change of heart and the US reaching an agreement on increasing bombing raids against IS, things could get even more heated.

Cameron Sets Off On Trade Mission In Asia

WHO

David Cameron and 31 UK business leaders

WHAT

On a four-day trip, David Cameron is making his way around Indonesia, Malaysia, Vietnam and Singapore in an effort to forge links with the growing market for British goods. The PM says deals worth more that £750m will be made.

WHY CARE

The majority of global growth will be coming from outside of the EU. This is part of David Cameron’s initiative to tap into markets outside of the UK’s main trading partners. 

Lord Sewel: Sex, Drugs And A £5 Roll

WHO

Lord Sewel, House of Lords deputy speaker and chairman of the Lords privileges and conduct committee

WHAT

The man responsible for how part of the government is conducted has conducted himself poorly and been caught. The Sun released footage of him taking coke off a prostitute’s breasts with a £5 note. He’s now under investigation.

WHY CARE

Another day, another government scandal.

George Osborne In Talks For Eu Reform

WHO

George Osborne

WHAT

In the first of a series of talks, the chancellor is renegotiating the UK's relationship with the EU. This includes rewriting treaties agreed by all members so that the UK can:

• Opt-out on the core EU aim of "ever closer union"
• The sovereignty of national parliaments to be boosted, so groups of them can block proposed EU legislation
• Safeguard the City of London and other financial centres outside the eurozone
• Curb EU immigration by cutting benefits
• Make the EU more streamlined and competitive

WHY CARE

The EU is one of the core concerns for voters, but to achieve these aims the UK will need to rewrite treaties agreed by all EU members.

Benefit Cuts Will Harm Ethnic Minorities The Most

WHO

George Osborne, again.

WHAT

According to thinktank Runnymede Trust, the chancellor’s budget cuts will affect twice as many minority ethnic Britons as white Britons. Due to younger age, higher child poverty, lower wages, fewer pensioners and greater part-time working, around 4 million people are estimated to be affected.

WHY CARE

The cuts could affect a growing racial Britain racial divide in Britain. Which is very sad.

Salmond Claims Second Scottish Referendum ‘Inevitable’

WHO

Alex Salmond

WHAT

Despite current SNP leader Nicola Sturgeon claiming that there is no referendum on the horizon, Alec Salmond claims there will be. According to the former leader it is just a matter of timing.

WHY CARE

For the stability of the UK generally.

The Labour Leadership Contest

WHO

Andy Burnham, Yvette Cooper, Jeremy Corbyn, Liz Kendall

WHAT

The messy electoral battle for a Labour leader continues. Jeremy Corbyn, a traditional left-wing candidate is splitting the party with politics that contrast with the more central Blairist wing of the party. Two backbench MPs, Graham Stringer and John Mann, have called for the leadership contest to be halted following rumours that Conservatives are registering to vote in the Leadership election to ensure Corbyn - seen as an easier opponent - gets in.

WHY CARE

The outcome of this will determine the strength of the Labour party and its ability to be a strong opponent of the Conservatives up to and including 2020.

Turkey Requests Meeting With NATO Following Airstrikes On IS

WHO

Turkey, IS, the Kurds and NATO

WHAT

It started with an IS suicide bomb in Suruc, a heavily Kurdish area near the Syrian border, that killed 32 people. A few days later, and IS shoot dead a border guard while the PKK (Kurdish Workers’ Party) retaliate against Turkey for what they perceived as siding with IS, killing two Turkish police officers. Come Friday, Turkey launches airstrikes on IS and PKK targets in Syria, ending a ceasefire with the PKK and firmly placing them in the fight against IS. A NATO meeting is called by Turkey to discuss territorial integrity and security.

WHY CARE

Turkey has recently sat quietly by the sidelines regarding the instability in the region (mainly Syria and IS). This military move changes the game in the fight against IS - the Turkish army is one of the biggest in the world. It could change the situation in Syria, Iraq and IS (the problem of British jihadis heading to joing the group via Turkey could also change with the country changing their stance).

Froome Wins Tour de France

WHO

Chris Froome

WHAT

A man, a bike and 3,500km.

WHY CARE

He’s the first Brit to win Le Tour twice.