By: Meredith Francis ~Campus News Editor~

UVA student injured during arrest

Marvese Johnson, a University of Virginia student who is black, was injured while being arrested by officers from the Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control on March 18. Controversy has surrounded the arrest as an image of the bloodied Johnson surfaced after the incident. The officers arrested Johnson for public intoxication and obstruction of justice. The controversy emerges as many suggest this is another example of excessive police force against a black man.

Plane crashes in French Alps

Germanwings Flight 9525 crashed in the French Alps on March 24. The plane, which was flying from Barcelona, Spain, to Dusseldorf, Germany, was carrying 144 passengers and six crew
members. Officials say it is unlikely that there will be any survivors. Conflicting reports have emerged about when the plane lost contact with French air traffic control. Because the crash site is difficult to reach, helicopters are conducting flyover operations to assess the crash.

Conflict escalates in Yemen

Senator Ted Cruz announced on March 24 that he is running for president in 2016. Cruz, a Republican from Texas, is the first major candidate to officially announce his candidacy. Cruz made the announcement at Liberty University, a Baptist school in Virginia. The first-term senator is a Tea Party favorite who is known by both Republicans and Democrats in Washington as a divisive figure.

Ted Cruz announces presidential run

The United States and Great Britain have removed their forces from Yemen after terrorist activy has escalated in recent weeks. Terrorists bombed two mosques on March 20, killing 137 people and wounding 357. ISIS claimed responsibility for the attack. The bombings come after months of fighting between Yemeni government officials and Houthi rebels, who took control of the international airport. Yemen served as an important ally for monitoring Al-Qaeda activity in the Arabian peninsula.