News that Affects You: June 2010 in Review

[Mel]

Article featured in Avatar - Volume 4, Issue 1 (July 2010).

News that Affects You: June 2010 in Review
By Brittany (.Brittany.) and Jes (Asylum)

While enjoying summer it can become increasingly difficult to commit time to keeping up with the current affairs of the world. In case you missed the headlines, here’s a glimpse of what people were talking about (or should have been!) in June 2010.

Mental Health

Mobile Mental “Medicine”. Depressed? While a mobile application for your shiny phone might not cure your depression, mental health experts agree that such programs may help. Apps like “Mobile Mood Diary” and “Mobile Therapy” can be used to track your moods and are available 24/7/365. What’s to lose?

DSM and Binge Eating. Experts recommend binge eating be included in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders V, due for release in 2010, as an eating disorder. The most common eating disorder in the United States, binge eating is difficult to diagnose and treat, but remains a very serious condition.

Health

Cut the… Salt? Too many Americans eat too much salt, says a new report from the Center for Disease Control (CDC). A survey found that the average daily intake is 3,500 milligrams of sodium, a whopping 1,200 milligrams more than the recommended daily intake. What can you do to consume less sodium? Eat less prepackaged foods, don’t add table salt to your food, eat home-cooked meals, cut down on processed grains, and eat appropriately sized portions of meat.

Entertainment

Man in the Mirror. The one year anniversary of Michael Jackson’s death was met with tears this June, as his profound legacy lives on and fans pay tribute to his life across the globe.

Environment and Natural Disaster

Out of the Ordinary. A deadly heatwave struck India and South Asia this month, with temperatures reaching 53C (127F). Also in June a 5.0 magnitude earthquake struck Ontario, Quebec and several states, lasting 20 seconds; there are no reported injuries.

Politics and Finances

G8. On June 25th the “great eight”, or group of eight, gathered at the annual G8 Summit in Huntsville, Ontario. Topics of discussion this year included nuclear proliferation, peace, security and development. Leaders in attendance included Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper, French President Nicolas Sarkozy, German Chancellor Angela Merkel, Italian Prime Minister Silvia Berlusconi, Japanese Prime Minister Naoto Kan, Russian President Dmitry Medvedev, United Kingdom's Prime Minister David Cameron, United States president Barack Obama, and the European Union President Jose Manuel Barroso.

G20. In Late June the Toronto G20 Summit saw finance ministers and central bank governors gather from nineteen countries to discuss the global financial crisis. Countries in attendance included Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, Mexico, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Republic of Korea, Turkey, United Kingdom, and United States of America.

For more news check out the Current Events and Debates forum, or reputable online sources like www.bbc.co.uk or www.cnn.com!