The Soyuz Launches Successfully!

Soyuz takes off and is currently in space.

     In Kazakhstan, three astronauts were sent into space successfully. There was one American, Dan Burbank, 50, and two Russians, Anatoly  Ivanishin, 42, and Anton Shkaplerov,39. They were to fix the equipment in the International Space Station. And the Soyuz never crashed. They took the risk of going into space because they had faith in their equipment.
                                                                                           This connects to class because Russia's government was once Communist. And the United States was scared of Communism . Also if Russia was Communist, the Americans would not work with them.Now that they are not Communist the United States will continue to work with the Russians.

    By PH, XM

Volcano explosion in Democratic Republic of the Congo.

Tourists seeing the volcano erupting

Nyamulgira is a volcano in the Democratic of the Congo.This volcano started to erupt in November 6 .The lava  reached about 1,000 ft into the air.This eruption so far is not hurting 200  mountain gorillas.There are 8 different types volcanos in this mountain range.Rangers are charging $300 for tourist to come and see the volcano erupting.Also they  have animals such as mountain gorillas, chimpanzees, okapi,forest elephants,and buffalo.An okapi is like an animal that is 1/2zebra and 1/2 horse. This connects to what we learned in Mr. Ellis's presentation when we learned about the silver back gorillas in the border of Rwanda,which are very uncommon and  the erupting volcano could kill the mountain  gorillas and cause them to become exstint.

By A.S. and  M.D.R

The protest against Bashar

Protesters telling Basher to step down

    The king of Jordan, Abdullah and the people of Syria want the president of Syria, president Bashar to step down from his place. Bashar has been blaming terrorists for the killings of his people, when he was really killing them. the Syrian people have been protesting and are ending up dead because Bashar did'nt want people to protest against his ways. The US.and Europe have been trying to help the Syrian people with their problems with Bashar. Other contries have had snactions on Syria because they didnt want to support Bushar and his killings. This is a connection towards South Africa and its problems with apartheid. The Afrikaaners were treating the blacks and other races badly and other contries wanted the Afrikaaners to stop. Just like Syria, other contries didn't want to sell with South Africa uintl they changed their ways . The contriries had sanctionon South Africa just like Syria.

                                                                                                                    By: AB,TC

Mines In The Democratic Republic Of Congo

a child that got his hands cut off by rebel forces

The Democratic Republic of Congo has always had an ustable past especially since the end of their 5-year war,that just ended in 2003.This war was the deadliest war , since World War 2.The Democratic Republic of Congo was fighting because the rebel groups in the Congo own mines.These mines have gold,dimonds,copper,and many more resources.In 1965,Joseph Mobutu ruled in absolute power and became a dictator.He used these mines to stay in power.In 1994,Rwanda had a genocide which somewhat lead to the 2nd Congo war.Rebel groups still hold power in the eatern part of the Congo,and control mines.Today Joseph Kabila,the president of the Congo, and the govenment try to take down the rebels.Elizabeth Caesens has created a website to raise awarness of the mines in the Congo.This connects to Colombia because today both govenments are trying to take out rebels and are making progress.The UN peacekeeping center is helping to reconstruct the Congo and protect civilians
by Yassmine Raoui and Isaac Lacombe

UN Security Coucil concern over Libya arms stockpile

[amunition from tanks destroyed]

When Gaddafi died, he left behind a stockpile of weapons.NATO helped the Rebels killed Gaddafi and after they destroy some of Gaddafi's weapons, and try to destroy others.NATO already to get a chemical weapons and making sure it does not get into al-Qaeda's hands and his army .UN is trying maintian there to have a safe world to live in. NATO is helping Libya to get a new gov't so Libya won't have a dictator anymore.This connects to Rapheal Trujillo when he rigged elections by giving weapons to his spies.Also he made people disappear to scare people who did not like him.

-CA & RP

Brazil's truth Commission



A man who has been hurt by the military.



The military burying dead bodies.

This reading is about the Senate of Brazil approving for a Truth Commission.The Truth Commission is when people try to find the truth about what the governments did to people during the military rule in 1964-1985. President Rousseff wanted this commission made because she was jailed and tortured during the military rule. She wanted the Senate to enforce this because she wanted to find out what happened to the missing people. President Rousseff made a bill to help create the Truth Commission. This connects to Ethiopia trying to take over Eritrea. The reason why is because Ethiopia went to war with Eritrea to get their land. But then they made a compromise which led to Eritrea letting Ethiopia use the Red Sea, and leaving Eritrea alone. Eritrea allowed this until Ethiopia started to try and take over Eritrea again, and then Eritrea stopped letting Ethiopia use the Red Sea anymore.

By FM and JR

Former colombian rebel elected mayor of capital, Bogotoa!

This shows the day Gustavo was elected for Mayor in Bogota.

         Gustavo Petro, at age 51, was once part of the M-19 guerilla group movement.Perto decided to run for mayor in Bogota. Mr.Petro decided to work on bringing peace and reconciliation to Bogota. Mr. Petro also helped uncover a rigging by the old mayor, Samuel Moreno, which proved he had help tell on bad people, and help become Bogota more peaceful. Mr.Petro was lucky because 41 candidates in other cities that were running for mayor were killed by the paramilitary.In this current event, this connect to what we learned in class because we talked about how people in the guerilla group giving up there weapons. So Gustavo was one of those people who gave up there weapons, and served 2 years instead of 10 years in prison. People were not sure if they wanted a former guerilla person running for mayor. Gustavo assured people that he was going to make peace and reconciliation in Bogota.!!!
                                  AB & HB