Royal wedding
Prince William and Kate Middleton tied the knot Friday after months of anticipation in Great Britain and around the world. The wedding, with all its glamor and fanfare, even generated interest on campus, with some students waking up as early as 3 a.m. to watch live coverage. For those who stayed in bed, the good people at MSNBC created a 3-minute highlight video of the early-morning event.
Tornado outbreak
This week also brought the deadliest tornado outbreak in the United States since 1932. There were more than 325 reported deaths and 96 confirmed tornados – both numbers are expected to rise in the coming days. President Obama toured Tuscaloosa, Ala., one of the worst-hit towns, on Friday. Tornadoes in Tuscaloosa were 1.5 miles wide, as seen in this YouTube video from a photographer very close to the action.
Midterms
Northwestern students struggled with slightly less deadly challenges this week: midterms. The dreaded three-week stretch of mid-quarter examinations reached its peak this week. The libraries were packed, and energy drink sales probably reached a high. Dillo Day can’t come soon enough.
Violent crackdowns in Syria
The situation in Syria evolved this week from isolated protests to widespread civil unrest. The military has cracked down swelling demonstrations in the capital and around the country. Human rights groups claim 600 civilians have been killed and that hundreds more have been arrested. Tanks rolled into the southern city of Daraa on Monday, besieging the town, as seen in this amateur video below.
NFL lockout in limbo
On Monday, a federal judge forced the NFL to end the lockout that started in March. The NFL’s request that she stay her decision until its appeal was heard in the 8th Circuit Court of Appeals was denied. By mid-week, many players returned to team facilities for strength training. The appeals court eventually granted a stay in a 2-1 ruling Saturday, reverting the NFL into lockout mode for the time being.
James Foley
Medill alum James Foley is still detained in Libya. Today marks his 25th day in captivity in the capital city of Tripoli. Medill professors organized a rally in front of Crowe Hall Wednesday to demonstrate for his release. The official Northwestern University twitter account posted this picture of the event, which drew a crowd of about 50.
Marshall Cohen is a Medill freshman and DAILY blogger. He can be reached at [email protected] and followed at twitter.com/marshall_cohen.
