70 year old man marries a 15 year old girl?

In Saudi Arabia, a 70 year old man married a 15 year old girl. This may seem outrageous to westerners such as ourselves, however, in Saudi Arabia, there is no age restriction for marriage. Shortly after, they divorced, no surprise. However, the man is complaining that the family of his bride fooled him into giving them his $20,000 dowry, then took the money and ran. As a westerner, I see the marriage as a total outrage. Why would anyone let two people with an age discrepancy of 55 years get married? Many see this man as a pedophile using the guise of teenage bride to do his evil business. I do not have much knowledge about marriage in Islam however I should think that the man must have gotten the parents'consent first.
http://www.cnn.com/2013/01/09/world/meast/saudi-teen-divorce/index.html?iref=allsearch

Gun Rights Groups Say Georgia Home Invasion Proves Their Point

The topic of gun control in the United States, is a very touchy subject. With recent traumas, people can lead to conclusions that no citizen should have right to bear arms. I disagree. Although I understand that in the wrong hands guns are extremely dangerous, I also see the safety in having the right to own them. This story I watched about the mother in Georgia really shows exactly that. For a brief summery, A mother and her three kids were home when a burglar broke into their home with a crowbar in the daytime. In response to the invasion she took the .38 revolver (that her and her husband kept in a safe in the house) and escaped with her children to the attic. While in hiding she called her husband who instructed him to shoot the intruder if he opened the door to the attic. That is exactly what Melinda Herman did. This heroic story of a Mother protecting her children brings up two very popular augments. The people who are against gun rights can argue topics such as "what if the child were to bring the gun to school?" or other topics mentioned in this article such as owning a gun and not knowing how to use it properly. However, Donnie Herman had taken his wife weeks before to instruct her how to shoot it. Also, I would like to point out again that the handgun was kept in a safe in the house, one can infer that the children did not know the combination to. It is true that people can use their possession of guns for tragic opportunities such as suicide and homicide; but my argument is if someone has the means to kill that is what they will do. I do not believe that Melinda Herman would have been able to protect her family without that handgun. Of course we do not know for sure what  the intruder would have done if he had found the mother and children. However, I still believe Melinda did the right thing. Do you? Do you believe in The Second Amendment?

http://www.cnn.com/2013/01/10/us/home-invasion-gun-rights/index.html?hpt=hp_c1

-Janelle Franklin
G Block

Pakistanis Protest the Killing of 86 Shiites

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/01/12/world/asia/pakistanis-protest-the-killing-of-86-shiites.html?ref=world

This story of the 86 Shiites killed in suicide bombings is truly a tragedy. However, the response to the killings by the government has been atrocious. After this event the people "have lost confidence" in the Pakistani government. The families have refused to bury the dead until the army comes to protect the city. Despite the  protest of the people the Pakistani Army has done nothing to protect them. The government's lack of protection of the people of the city has left those within it in protest. The government's failure to recognize and act upon the killing of 86 of their is a crime. It is the role of those in power to protect those who are less able. In this case the government is failing to act in the time of greatest need of their citizens.

3 Kurds Are Killed in Paris, in Locked-Door Mystery

In the article “3 Kurds Are Killed in Paris, in Locked-Door Mystery” it is described how three Kurdish women murdered at the office in the middle of the night. This is just a terrible story and it is unfortunate that people go to such lengths to hurt others.  This was obviously an organized crime because there was very little trace of the criminals, and the fact that this was a secret refuge office.  Which leads to another very sad part of this story, it is very likely that the criminals had inside help.  “Someone would have to have known the office was there — there was no plaque outside. And the front door could be opened only with a digital code or if the occupants buzzed someone in, the manager of the center, Leon Edart, told reporters.”  The three women killed we all part of a Kurdish separatist group which has been using poke and run tactic at the Turkish government since 1894.  Overall I hope that they are able to find whoever gave away these three people and that this conflict can come to a close somewhere in the near future.

Libya attack: US to investigate Benghazi assault

 As many of you know, the attack in Benghazi, Libya on September 11th, 2012 was a tragic event, leaving the U.S. ambassador Chris Stevens and State Department computer expert Sean Smith killed in the assault. As I myself have lived in Libya for two years and had to be evacuated from the country because of the uprising, I was deeply shocked when hearing of the news. The attack was apparently in response to the protests of the anti-Islamic film. After the assault, protest have also been rising in Cairo at their embassy. In the article, it states that "Security has been tightened at US embassies across the world". I think that this was a worthy decision, as more protests and attacks may occur. I also believe, and agree with President Obama that it was especially ill-fated because Chris Stevens died in Benghazi, because it was "...a city he helped to save". Nowadays, they have found the suspect and put him in jail.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-19582198

Steubenville Ohio Rape Case

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/01/09/steubenville-ohio-schools_n_2439707.html

The recent rape of a 16 year old girl in Ohio has brought up the question in many peoples mind of "how many times does this have to happen before serious action is taken?" In articles all over the internet, the comments on posts related to the rape are filled with people drawing parallels to the recent rape case in India. For the case in India, many people claimed the cause of these crimes to be the poverty, low quality of life in many areas, and over populated cities. However, in Steubenville, Ohio, where none of these factors are an issue, crimes that are just as cruel occur. This comparison shows that while the conditions of ones society may affect the rate of these crimes, they happen all over the world at a shameful rate and the conditions of life in parts of India cannot be blamed for the cause of these rapes. The only thing that can be blamed are the people themselves, for their lack of humanity and inability to put themselves in the position of their victim.

Middle East, weather conditions

http://www.cnn.com/2013/01/09/world/meast/middle-east-winter-weather/index.html?hpt=wo_c1

The Harsh Winter Weather conditions in the middle east make it even harder for people in a bad conditions. The coldest temperatures of the season have passed refugee camps in Turkey and Lebanon. Also In Syria, residents in cities are struggling with the loss of electricity during , loss of water and loss of homes. A family is videotaped burning pages of schoolbooks to stay warm. The Temperature is about 9 to 18 degrees Fahrenheit below average for this time across Syria, Lebanon, Jordan and Israel. This is one of the first times temperatures have dropped this low in the middle east causing them to be unprepared for temperatures like these. Wind have gone up to 43 miles per hour, which makes the wind chill much colder than the air temperature. The Thursday (1/9/13) is supposed to be the last  of the unbearable temperature before temperature returns to normal. More than 540,000 Syrians have fled to Jordan, Iraq, Lebanon, Turkey and Egypt because of relentless violence in Syria during the storm.