South Dakota Authorizes Guns in Classrooms

Dennis Daugaard, South Daokta's Governor, signed a new controversial law, on Friday.

The new law allows for the state's teachers to be armed in classrooms.

School districts will have the right to choose if they will allow teachers to carry weapons.

They will also be able to arm school employees, hire security, or even have armed parent volunteers.

Governor Daugaard said he signed the bill, as it allowed for each school district to decide for themselves.

Riots Break Out in Jerusalem

The Al-Aqsa Mosque

Riots broke out in Jerusalem, on Friday outside of the Al-Aqsa Mosque.

The riot began after an Israeli police officer picked up and handed a Quran to a Muslim woman, who had dropped it.

He and other officers were then attacked, and both sides called for reinforcements.

Rioters threw gas bombs, rocks, and other objects at police who responded with stun grenades and tear gas.

Several police and rioters were injured in the violent clash.

Syrian Shelling Blocks UN From Recovering Kidnapped Peacekeepers

A UN bid to recover peacekeepers kidnapped by Syrian rebels, was blocked on Friday.

Shelling from the Syrian military made the route unsafe and so the twenty-one will remain with the rebels.

Plans are for a UN convoy to try again, on Saturday, when a two hour ceasefire is supposed to take place.

The rebels had initially said that they would not release them until the military left the area, but they gave in to pressure from the UN.

Voting For Pope to Begin Tuesday

Tuesday will see the first vote for pope occur.

The voting is done by secret ballot.

For a new pope to be elected, one name must reach a two thirds majority.

At this point there are many candidates who may become the next pope.

Due to this, the election is expected to take several days.

Hopes and expectations are for the new pope to have been selected in time for Easter, on March 31.

Kenyan Votes Still Being Counted

Kenyatta, left, Odinga, right

Voting may have taken place on Monday, but Kenyans still do not know who won the election.

Election officials are still counting the votes, and it looks like a close total.

Deputy Prime Minister Uhuru Kenyatta is currently leading, but he does not appear to have the numbers required.

Kenyan law requires that a candidate gain more than fifty percent of the votes, in order to win.

If Kenyatta does not gain the fifty percent, he will face a runoff election against Prime Minister Raila Odinga, who has the second most votes.

The runoff election would take place in April.