The news throughout most of the world this week was focused on the Gaza Flotilla incident, with repercussions going on for days, and in fact continuing with the latest on-going story on the Irish relief ship Rachel Corrie heading towards Gaza and no doubt another confrontation of one kind or another. But the world had other news. In Japan, Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama stepped down, Australian immigration laws were coming under fire (sounds familiar), and the world continued its reaction to the Oil disaster in the Gulf of Mexico.

(Stepping down amid the Okinawa question)

Amid allegations that Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama stepped down as the result of an indecisive stance on the Okinawa question. It was still a surprise when NHK broke in with a bulletin on June 1st informing of the Prime Ministers decision.

(Developing story, even as we speak)

RTE in Ireland reported that 6 Irish nationals had been taken prisoner during the first confrontation with the Israelis during the Gaza Aid run. It was now turning into a diplomatic skirmish as the Irish government was now asking the Israelis for repatriation of the six workers.

(so close, yet so far away for a lot of people)

From ABC Radio National Australia's news program National Interest, news on the immigration problem currently going on in New South Wales, and what is being proposed to be done about it.

(brush up on your French right here)

And finally, for our French friends or people who just want to brush up on their French skills, here's a June 4th broadcast of Journal Francais which discusses the Gaza situation, the Gulf disaster and numerous domestic issues on this 8:00 pm (in France) newscast.

That's the week as it looks from this Friday night. I'm sure in 24 hours everything will change just as it will again by Monday.

If you can't keep up, don't feel bad - nobody else can either.

Some Week, the one ending on June 11th in 1989. The Pro-Democracy Protests in Beijing and the 5th Annual International Conference on AIDS held in Canada. Both yielding pessimistic results.

On the AIDS front, the statistics were grim and getting grimmer, with awareness just starting to spread. Although in many places and in many communities, the awareness came a bit late. Still, the statistics were sobering.

Dr. Jonathan Mann (WHO): “The number of people with AIDS is rising sharply. From about 70,000 from 1980 to 1985, to about 300,000 from 1986 through 1988. To an estimated 700,000 people developing AIDS in the three year period 1989 to 1991. Thus the cumulative total of AIDS is expected to double from today to the end of 1991 to over 1.1 million.”

And in China the race was on to rewrite history. With the crackdown and massacre at Tiananmen Square the government of Deng Xiao Peng claimed it never happened. There were no protests, no students, no activists. Nothing. The coverup only magnified the awful truth. As much as China was attempting a benign face, the ugly little secrets and the human rights violations were all in plain view.

All in seven days, that June of '89. Here is a recap of the week via the CBS News Program Newsmark, as it was first heard on Sunday, June 11, 1989.