The World

10 ESSENTIAL STORIES

By Harriet Barovick, Alexandra Silver, Claire Suddath, Frances Romero, Kristi Oloffson, Kayla Webley and Nate Rawlings Monday, June 28, 2010

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    Post--high school degrees are more and more necessary for entry into the middle class, says a study by Georgetown University's Center on Education and the Workforce. By 2018, there will be jobs for 22 million new workers with college degrees. But there will be at least 3 million more jobs that require at least a two-year associate's degree than there will be qualified people, which the report calls a "lost economic opportunity for millions of American workers."

    6 | France

    A Few More Years of Work

    Faced with a predicted pension-system deficit of 32 billion euros ($39 billion) this year, the French government announced plans to raise the nation's retirement age from 60 to 62, to be implemented gradually by 2018. It also proposed additional pension reforms and tax increases. Tens of thousands protested in Paris the day before the June 16 announcement.

    7 | Kyrgyzstan

    ETHNIC VIOLENCE

    Organized gangs killed at least 179 people and injured thousands more in the southern city of Osh, driving more than 100,000 ethnic Uzbeks to seek refuge across the border in Uzbekistan. The attacks, which the U.N. called "orchestrated, targeted and well planned," left the country's provisional government--in power since a bloody April coup--struggling to maintain control. Interim President Roza Otunbayeva has accused ousted leader Kurmanbek Bakiyev of instigating the violence, but Bakiyev has denied any involvement.

    8 | California

    Prop 8 Trial Nears End

    A federal judge heard closing arguments in a case seeking to determine the constitutionality of Proposition 8, California's 2008 ban on same-sex marriage. The five-month-long trial explored whether sexual orientation is a choice and whether recognizing same-sex unions would threaten the institution of marriage. A decision in the case is not expected for several weeks.

    9 | Gulf of Mexico

    There Will Be (Even More) Oil

    On June 15, the U.S. government doubled its official estimate of the amount of oil spewing into the Gulf of Mexico: it is now assumed to be a staggering 60,000 bbl. (2.5 million gal., or 9.5 million L) a day--or the equivalent of one Exxon Valdez spill every four days. Following a meeting with President Obama, BP executives offered an apology to the American people and agreed to create a $20 billion escrow fund to compensate Gulf residents and businesses damaged by the disaster. In the midst of these developments, international investment agency Fitch Ratings downgraded the energy giant's stock to near junk status.

    Official U.S. Government Oil-Spill Estimates

    April 25

    1,000 bbl. a day

    April 28

    5,000 bbl. a day

    May 27

    19,000 bbl. a day

    June 10

    30,000 bbl. a day

    June 15

    60,000 bbl. a day

    SOURCE: U.S. DEPT. OF THE INTERIOR

    10 | France

    Fatal Flooding

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