Sudan and Genocide

For this week’s current events blog you will exploring an exhibit about the current genocide happening in Darfur at this moment. 

 

1.  Watch the Youtube video “Sudan at a Crossroads,” created in 2010.   Video link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NziZwhbv1qE

The video was first shown on the US Holocaust Memorial Museum's exterior walls for three evenings in November 2010, a short film and dozens of photographs opened a window into the lives of the people of South Sudan. The images were taken by Pulitzer Prize-winning photographer Lucian Perkins, who joined Mike Abramowitz, head of the Museum's genocide prevention program, and Andrew Natsios, former US Envoy to Sudan, on a recent Museum-sponsored bearing witness trip to assess conditions in South Sudan, as the region prepares for a referendum on its independence.

2.  Read about current event links below in questions 1 and 2.  Your entire post should answer the following 3 questions.    

Questions:

1.  Explain the current conflict in Darfur (including the March 16 update) in 3-5 sentences.  Include who, what, where, when and why.  Use the link below to fill in details from the video.

http://www.ushmm.org/genocide/take_action/atrisk/region/sudan

2.  Is the violence in Darfur, Sudan genocide?  Why or why not?  Use the definition here to help you determine if it is and explain why.  BBC Article from August 2010 on BBC: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-11108059

3.  What do you think should be done about the conflict in Darfur?

Great Wall Crumbles as Tourism Soars

Many people think of tourism as a great solution to economic problems. However, tourism can have a negative side as well. Read the article about the effects of tourism on the Great Wall of China, a UNESCO World Heritage site. Then, answer the following questions:




Great Wall Crumbles

1. What actions are causing the Great Wall to crumble?

2. What actions have been done to save the Great Wall?

3. List a solution you think would help the Great Wall.

India's caste-offs

Great blog posts last week.  This week's blog is on the effects of India's caste system today.  For this week's blog first, read the article on the link below.  Then, write your blog post that includes a summary, reflection, questions, prediction and respond to the questions below.

BBC Article:  "India's caste-offs," November 9th, 2010
http://news.bbc.co.uk/nol/ukfs_news/hi/newsid_9160000/newsid_9166400/9166402.stm

Questions:
1. What is an untouchable in India's caste system (use your class notes and the article)?
2. What percentage of Indians live on half a U.S. dollar a day?
3. How is Marachi (the family's daughter) treated at school because she is an "untouchable?"

Islam today

This week's blog posting is about Islam, the world's second largest religion after Christianity. For this week's post, click on the link below about Muslims in Europe.




First, look at the map about Islam in Europe.

Map of Islam in Europe
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/4385768.stm


Second, read the summary about each European country listed under the map. Then, choose 1 country to write your blog post about. (3 sentence summary, 2-3 sentences of reflection, 1 sentence prediction and 2 quesitons).

Finally, Answer the two questions below at the end of your blog post.
1.  What parts of Europe have the highest Muslim population?
2. How did the Ottoman Empire effected the Muslim population in Europe?


For more information on Islam around the world see:

Islam Around the World Map: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/shared/spl/hi/middle_east/03/islam_around_the_world/html/

UN Millennium Development Goals

This past month, United Nations leaders have been looking at their progress towards reducing poverty around the world.  10 years ago leaders of the world made 8 goals to reduce poverty by 2015.  Read the article including the 8 slides about progress towards each development goal. 

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-11364717

After writing your summary, reflection, questions and prediction choose one of the goals explained in the slides and answer the questions below:

1.  How is the world progressing on this goal?
2.  What do you think needs to be done to reach this goal?

Discovery and Exploration

Nice posts last week.  This week the article is about present day exploration.  Gliese 581 is a new "Goldilocks" planet scientists discovered in late September.  First, read the article at the link below.  Then, answer question 1 after your 3-sentence summary, 2-3 sentences of reflection, 2 questions and prediction.

Article: 'Goldilocks' Planet's Temperature Just Right for Life

1.  How is space exploration similar to exploration of the "New World" in the 15th and 16th centuries?

Nobel Peace Prize

The 2010 Nobel Peace Prize was awarded Friday to Liu Xiaobo, a leading Chinese dissident who is serving an 11-year prison term after repeatedly calling for human rights and democratization, the Norwegian Nobel Committee announced.  Liu was sentenced in 2009 for inciting subversion of state power. He is the co-author of Charter 08, a call for political reform and human rights, and was an adviser to the student protesters at Tiananmen Square in 1989.

Liu Xiaboo's wife brought her husband news of the Nobel Peace Prize award over the weekend and has been detained (held) by the Chinese police in her home every since.  As of Sunday afternoon, she was still detained in her home. 

For this week's blog post, read the article about Liu Xiaboo's award of the peace prize.
http://www.cnn.com/2010/LIVING/10/08/nobel.peace.prize.win/index.html


After reading the article answer the following questions about the article, write your 3 sentence summary, 2-3 sentences of reflection, 2 questions and a prediction and answer the questions below.
1. Why does the Chinese government disagree with the decision to award Liu Xiaobo the prize?
2.  Why do you think BBC and CNN news's coverage of Liu's Nobel Peace prize award was blacked out in China (you could not see it anywhere in the country)?
3. A dissident is someone who disagrees in their opinion or belief.  In your opinion, is it possible to be a dissident and work for peace at the same time? Explain.