Trav's Staying out of the Dungeon Trivia Meme

I was tagged by Byrningbunny to participate in Trav’s Staying Out Of The Dungeon Trivia Meme.

1. Choose a category from one of these: Television, Stage & Screen, Nightly News, Publishing, Lives & Times, Music.
2. Find 8 bits of trivia about your selected category
3. Be sure to let me know when…ok, if…you decide to play along so I can see what you come up with.
4. You may tag, or simply offer the meme for borrowing or stealing as you like.

My selected category is "nightly news"

Bush seeks sanctions against Zimbabwe was the headline on the world news on MSNBC on June 28th.

Here are 8 bits of trivia about this headline.

1. Robert Mugabe was just sworn in as president for his sixth consecutive term in Zimbabwe.

2. Although George Bush said ""We will press for strong action by the United Nations, including an arms embargo on Zimbabwe and travel ban on regime officials," in a statement issued while he spent the weekend at Camp David presidential retreat in Maryland, no sanctions have yet been imposed and Mugabe travelled to the African Summit in Egypt following the elections.

3. Robert Mugabe ran unopposed in the election after his opponent Tsvangirai pulled out of the election because of violence in which he said nearly 90 of his followers were killed.

4. Tsvangirai won the first round of elections on March 29 but fell short of the majority needed for outright victory. Mugabe refused to recognise his victory.

5. Zimbabweans are fleeing the country to escape the violence there, only to face more violence in South Africa. The South African Department of Home Affairs, responsible for repatriating illegal immigrants, has tried to crack down on the influx of illegal Zimbabweans entering the country. The South African Home Affairs Department threatened to deport all illegal Zimbabwean farm workers from the northern region of South Africa in an attempt to create more jobs for South Africans. (check out more here)

6. Inflation in Zimbabwe rose at a rate of 165, 000% in February. The Zimbabwean dollar has depreciated to such an extent that US$1 now buys an average Z$1-billion. Traders quoted the currency as selling for as much as Z$1.45-billion against the US dollar on June 6th, a jaw-dropping Z$700-million higher than at the start of the week. The currency traded at equal value to the U. S. dollar in 1983.

7. The government-set price for a loaf of bread is Z$22,000, less than 10 pence, and people can spend hours waiting to buy the one or two packets they are allowed. The photos of stores above show the difference between stores where "regular" Zimbabweans shop (left) , and stores where government officials shop (right).

8. Even with the inclusion of other allowances like transport and housing, state-registered nurses are earning less than ZD $550,000 (US $2,200) per month. Read more here.