January 28th, 2007 by Manila Ryce
On average, around 100 people are murdered in Iraq each day. Today was especially sad as innocent students in a notoriously violent district became the victims of mortar and bomb attacks. It is unclear as to who is directly responsible for these acts.
At least seven Iraqi children have died after their schools were caught up in a day of sustained violence across Baghdad and other parts of Iraq.
A mortar hit a Baghdad high school, killing at least five girls, while a bomb blast hit a primary school in Ramadi, leaving two children dead.
Fighting has meanwhile erupted near the holy city of Najaf, where a US military helicopter was reportedly shot down.
Police say 54 unidentified bodies were found in and around Baghdad on Sunday
On Saturday, police said 40 bodies were found - such deaths generally attributed to sectarian violence.
Dozens of Iraqi students have protested against Tuesday’s twin bombings at Baghdad’s Mustansiriya university that killed 70 people and wounded nearly 140 others.
Qatar has decided to pay the overdue salaries of 40,000 Palestinian education workers for several months. The US and European Union cut all aid to the Palestinians after Hamas was democratically elected to run the government. In further response to the election, Israeli authorities have been withholding tens of millions of dollars in tax revenues they collect from the Palestinian government, as well as staging a massive 
A Republican students group at Boston University has started a $250 scholarship for white students. “We are trying to convey the absurdity of any race-based scholarship,” claimed Joseph Mroszczyk, president of the College Republicans. “I don’t think race should be part of any scholarship. It should be based on merit or economic need.” The scholarship may already be serving its purpose, as it has sparked a debate on campus about race-based scholarships and affirmative action.
A Republican lawmaker from Wisconsin, Frank Lasee, has the perfect solution to end school shootings – allow teachers and school staff to pack heat. “When you can make someone think twice about doing something like that or be very concerned about ‘Gee, I don’t know what classroom is going to have someone who’s armed and who may return fire’ I think that’s a good thing,” says Lasee.
Some defend it unconditionally while others vomit at the mere thought of it. No, I’m not talking about Desperate Housewives. I’m talking about flag burning. Dan Holden, a social studies teacher at Stuart Middle School in Kentucky, was suspended from teaching duties for burning 2 American flags as a demonstration during a freedom of speech lesson. As part of the assignment, Holden then asked students to write their opinion regarding flag burning. According to a spokeswoman, the burning was not “politically motivated”. Still, one parent complained to authorities, prompting Holden’s suspension until an “investigation” into the matter had been completed. Holden has been a teacher for over 26 years.