Vatican City, Italy – From April 15 to April 20, masses from across Washington D.C. and New York will gather to see the Pope as he journeys to the two American cities. The Pope will be meeting at the White House with President Bush, as well as visiting teachers at Catholic University of America in Washington. In New York, the Pope will be stopping at Ground Zero, as well as speaking at the United Nations. The intent of the visit is to commemorate the 200th anniversary of the dioceses of New York, Boston, Philadelphia and Bardstown, Ky.
Paris, France – China continued its “Journey of Harmony” torch relay through France this week, resulting in chaos. Many protestors, including human rights activists and pro-Tibetan freedom groups were among the opposition to the Olympics being held in China, a country that has been forcefully involved in violent unrest in Tibet. The protest of the torch resulted in massive riots, causing the torch itself to be extinguished many times. Security on scene moved the torch to a bus to protect it. Since the protests in Paris, many prime political figures have taken stances on the Olympic games, including British Prime Minister Gordon Brown, the Dalai Lama and Jacques Rogge, president of the International Olympic Committee.
Nepal – On April 10, in an election meant to secure peace in a country ruled by communist rebels and a king, Nepalis were given the chance to vote in an effort to return the country to democracy. The first election in nine years, Nepalis are beginning to see a move away from communism into democracy. The ground-breaking election was met with dissention between opposing party supporters.
Europe – The Food Standard Agency of the United Kingdom is calling for a ban on six different artificial food colorings across Europe. The food colorings have been linked to the hyperactivity of children. The colorings are found in many products, mostly processed foods. FSA asked parents of hyperactive children to pay attention to possible risks of consuming the artificial coloring.
Sources: www.nytimes.com, http://news.bbc.co.uk, www.latimes.com