By Elizabeth Cohn 

Occupy Wall Street Spreads Across the World

What started as a group of New York City college students’ way to protest against the government and the economy, has now become a nation-sweeping protest campaign dubbed “Occupy Wall Street”. All over the country, people protesting for all different issues have gone straight to their economic headquarters and spoken their minds against the government’s big paydays and the citizens’ foreclosures and unemployment lines. The movement has spurred into a practical frenzy due to social media coming directly out of the New York City station on Wall Street. While the movement does not have one particular goal in mind, they are definitely making their voices heard on the issues of economic inequality and don’t intend on packing up camp any time soon.

Cheshire Home Invasion Trial

Four years ago, the Petit family of Cheshire, CT went from unknown to nationally famous, but not the way any person would want. Two men invaded the Petits’ home, raping, beating and eventually murdering the mother and two young daughters while the father barely escaped with his life. The first of the two men to go on trial, Steven Hayes, currently sits on death row after his guilty conviction on sixteen charges. The other man, Joshua Komisarjevsky, was just convicted on all seventeen accounts with which he was charged. He currently is awaiting the penalty phase of the trial and could possibly receive the death penalty for his actions.

Hopeville Cheating Scandal

Every year, standardized tests are a part of every student’s life in one form or another. We listen to the instructions, sit for hours and wait endlessly for results. However, one principal in Connecticut decided that in order to improve her school’s standings, she would have teachers alter their students’ test scores. Hopeville Elementary School in Waterbury, CT has recently been found in the line of fire after standardized testing irregularities surfaced. After an extensive investigation, twelve teachers, one reading specialist and the principal were found to be involved. No official charges have been pressed against these educators but the community has expressed serious outrage at the lack of punishment.

Amanda Knox…Freed

After spending four years in an Italian prison and being convicted of murdering her British roommate during her study abroad, Seattle born Amanda Knox had her murder conviction overturned and is back on American soil for the first time since she left college for her junior year abroad. The Italian appeals court partially overturned her convictions, save for her slander conviction, and she was set free a couple of weeks ago. She thanked all those who helped her throughout her ordeal and believed in her innocence throughout the trials.

Royal Wedding in Bhutan

After the royal wedding of Prince William and Kate Middleton, we all thought that nothing could ever measure up. However, that theory was quickly dispelled this past week when the King of Bhutan, a small, mountainous country in Asia, married a commoner. Their wedding was a traditional ceremony, steeped in the culture and traditions of the isolated country. The people of Bhutan walked for hours in a country with poor roads to see the King and his new Queen, as the King stated that this was a wedding for the people.

United States Troops Head to Uganda

In the midst of a ten-year war in Afghanistan, the President of the United States has decided to send American troops to the war-torn nation of Uganda. The 100 troops (mostly Special Forces members) are being sent into the country in the middle of Africa in order to defeat the band of guerilla fighters called the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA.) President Obama is hoping to defeat the currently weak and fractured LRA with the help of the Ugandan forces that their president has already committed to the fight against the LRA.