News in Brief

By: Meredith Francis ~Campus News Editor~

Ferguson protesters participate in day of civil disobedience

Roughly 100 protesters participated in a day of civil disobedience in Ferguson, Mo., in the name of police shooting victim Michael Brown. On Oct. 13, the protesters marched to the Ferguson police station where they met a line of police officers standing behind police tape. Many protesters were arrested after crossing the police tape, including activist Cornel West. This protest was one of many planned demonstrations of civil disobedience.

ISIS attempting to gain control of key town on Syria-Turkey border

The terrorist organization known as ISIS that has been gaining control of parts of Iraq and Syria continues to carry out its acts of violence despite international action including airstrikes conducted by the U.S. and other nations. ISIS appears to be close to gaining control of Kobani, a key town located in Syria along the Turkish border. The U.S. and other allies have been launching airstrikes near Kobani to combat ISIS forces.

Supreme Court declines to hear same-sex marriage cases

The Supreme Court decided not to hear appeals from states in which lower courts struck down same-sex marriage bans. This decision by the Court means that rulings that declared gay marriage bans unconstitutional will stand in the states that attempted to appeal the lower courts’ decisions. Many believe that this sets various states up for eventual legalization of gay marriage.

Malala Yousafzai wins Nobel Peace Prize

Malala Yousafzai, the 17-year-old Pakistani education activist, won the 2014 Nobel Peace Prize. Yousafzai has been a prominent activist for girl’s education in recent years after Taliban gunmen shot her in the head for attempting to attend school. She shares the Nobel Peace Prize with Indian children’s rights activist Kailash Satyarthi.