New OrleansIt has been two years since Hurricane Katrina hit New Orleans and students in the areas most affected are still facing difficulties such as poor attendance, underachievement and a high drop-out rate. Between 20,000 and 30,000 elementary and high school students failed to show up at school and more than 10,000 school age boys and girls were not even enrolled this fall, according to the Atlanta-based Southern Education Foundation. Aug. 29 marked the two-year anniversary of Hurricane Katrina and there were many rallies nationwide.
ItalySince the 9/11 bombings, various security measures have been enforced on charter flights across the globe. Those security measures include banning the carrying of liquids among other things. However, on Aug. 29, a passenger on a New-Vatican charter flight was amazed when he was forced to surrender a bottle of water he had collected at Our Lady of Lourdes Cathedral to officials at the airport in southern France before boarding a return flight to Rome. Other pilgrims who have had this happen to them have protested with complaints of having to wait in long lines for the holy water only to have it taken away.
UtahThere were signs of prayer and much support on Sept. 1 for the families of the six mising miners whose rescue was deemed hopeless after realization that the men would not be found alive. The men were trapped when the roof of the mine they were working on collapsed on Aug. 6. After many rescue missions, the search has been called off. Six men were injured and three others died while searching for their fellow workmates and friends.
ItalyAddressing a large crowd of mostly young people on Sept. 2, Pope Benedict, while leading the Catholic Church’s first ever eco-friendly youth rally, said that world leaders must take a leap of faith to save the planet “before it’s too late.” The Pope purposely wore green vestments to the occasion near the Adriatic City of Loreto on the day Italy’s Catholic Church marked its annual Save Creation Day.
Sources: msnbc.com, cnn.com, yahoo.com.
Mikaela Brown 
Sophia Hunter 
Jayme Fisher