Syrian Rebels Threaten Israel

Israeli Defense Forces have begun bringing more troops in to strengthen defenses in the Golan Heights.

Rebel forces in Syria have threatened to retake the land, that Israel captured in 1967, and that Syria surrendered in 1974.

The Syrian government has mostly lost control of their area near the Heights, but hasn't given up on them yet.

On Wednesday, rebels captured twenty-one UN peacekeepers, who were in the Golan Heights, and held them hostage until Saturday.

The UN has a thousand strong force of peacekeepers between Israel and Syria, to try and enforce peace.

Colorado Senate Advances 5 of 7 Gun Bills

Colorado Senate chambers

Five of the seven gun control bills, facing Colorado's Senate, were advanced on Friday.

Voting was almost completely on party lines, with some Democrats switching to the Republican side.

Gun control is extremely controversial in Colorado, which has a proud gun owning history.

The Senate voted to move forward on:

• House Bill 1224 limits gun ammunition magazines to fifteen rounds.
• House Bill 1228 revives fees for gun purchasers who need background checks.
• House Bill 1229 adds a background check requirement for guns sold in private transactions.
• Senate Bill 195 requires people seeking concealed carry permits to take gun training courses in person, not online.
• Senate Bill 197 expands a ban on gun ownership for people convicted of certain domestic violence offenses.

SB 195 and 197 will now move to the House for consideration.

Governor Hickenlooper has said he will sign HB 1224 and 1229, but has avoided commenting on HB 1228.

Sponsors of the other two bills withdrew them from the floor, effectively ending them.

• House Bill 1226 ends Colorado's law which keeps public college campuses from banning concealed weapons.
• Senate Bill 196 adds legal liability for gun sellers and owners.

SB 196 was considered the most controversial of all of the bills.

Kidnapped UN Peacekeepers Safe After Being Released

Twenty-one UN peacekeepers were released into Jordan, on Saturday.

They had been detained by Syrian rebels, since Wednesday.

Rebel forces had threatened to keep them until the Syrian military left the area, but gave into international pressure.

A planned retrieval of them had to be cancelled on Friday, due to heavy shelling from Syrian military forces.

The UN confirmed their release, saying all were unharmed.

Suicide Bombers Kill 19 as Hagel Visits Afghanistan

Crews use a crane to lift a damaged car in Kabul

Two suicide bombers struck in Afghanistan, on Saturday.

The attacks happened within hours of Chuck Hagel's, the new US Defense Secretary, arrival in the country.

One struck at the Afghan Defense Ministry, in Kabul, killing ten and injuring fourteen.

In Khost Province, another killed eight children and a police officer and injured a dozen.

A police officer saw him approaching a group of children, told them to get away, then hugged the bomber to try and block some of the blast.

The Taliban claimed the first attack, but avoided responsibility for the second.

Kenyatta Wins Kenyan Presidency

Kenyatta

The votes are finally all counted and a winner has been announced in the Kenyan presidential election.

With 50.07% of the vote Deputy Prime Minister Uhuru Kenyatta is now president elect Kenyatta.

Kenyatta narrowly lost the last election, in 2007.

His father was Kenya's first prime minister and president.

Prime Minister Raila Odinga, who came in second with 43.31% of the vote, has promised to challenge the results.

Odinga has asked his supporters to avoid the violence which marred the last election.

Both Odinga and Kenyatta started off as socialists, but Kenyatta has brought his political ideology closer to the center.

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.