The Knox Student

‘MACOMB, Illinois — A police swat team surrounded a Macomb Farm King store where a man armed with a rifle trapped two employees inside the buildings before he died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound. During the hostage situation, the man also shot at a police officer. The surrounding area and the public schools in Macomb were on lockdown throughout the situation. (Source: www.galesburg.com)

CHICAGO, Illinois — Democratic Governor Pat Quinn claimed victory in the Democratic gubernatorial primary by a margin of less than one percent, but the results are not yet totally official. He is attempting to follow in the footsteps of Rod Blagojevich (D) and his corruption charges. (Source: www.stateline.org)

JUAREZ, Mexico — Of 16 people shot dead this weekend in Juarez, 10 of them are teenagers. In Juarez, a city in which hundreds of women have disappeared and been killed since 1993, the Juarez drug cartel were behind this attack during a party when members of the cartel open fired. Oscar Dolores Arroyo Chavarria, a Juarez cartel member, was arrested and another member was killed. The Juarez cartel believed those attending the party were members of their competition cartel, Sinaloa. Only three of the adults killed in the confrontation have been confirmed as members of the Sinaloa cartel. (Source: www.cnn.com)

TEHRAN, Iran — Tehran has launched a probe into space, heightening U.S. fears of an increasingly developed space and nuclear program. The probe took with it two turtles, a hamster and a worm. Later this week, Iran plans to introduce its three other new satellites. (Source: www.english.aljazeera.net)

WASHINGTON, D.C. — More support is rising up in Washington to repeal the military’s “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” policy which currently prohibits openly gay men and women from participating in the military. Colin Powell, former chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, has announced his stance in favor of repealing the policy, and Secretary of Defense Gates and Admiral Mullen, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff have made it known that the military is preparing to repeal the policy. President Barack Obama has also announced his goal to repeal the policy. (Source: www.cnn.com)

SANTA MONICA, California — Last Wednesday, Howard Zinn, one of the most influential authors and political activists of his time, died at age 87. One of his most famous works was his book, “A People’s History of the United States,” acclaimed for describing the history of the country from the perspective of a citizen and not of a person in political power. He was also a strong participant in the Civil Rights movement. (Source: www.democracynow.org)

NEW HAMPSHIRE — J.D. Salinger, author of novels Catcher in the Rye and Franny and Zooey, died in his home last Thursday at age 91. He died of natural causes. In accordance with a statement that his family gave, there was no service for his death, another nod to his famous reclusiveness. (Source: www.cnn.com)

PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti — The death toll in Haiti from January’s earthquake has officially reached over 200,000. Another 300,000 have been injured. The United Nations has named former U.S. president Bill Clinton to be the leader in organizing relief efforts for the country. (Source: www.english.aljazeera.net)