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  • Icebound Russian Ship Set to be Rescued by Saturday

    A Russian ship carrying 74 passengers has been stranded in the icy water mass of Antarctica since Tuesday.

    Strong winds through the ice-covered water caused The MV Akademik Shokalskiy to become trapped near Stillwell Island, far south of Hobart, Tasmania.

    What started on November 28 as a commemorated voyage dedicated to the 100th anniversary of an Antarctic voyage led by Australian explorer Douglas Mawson has become a five-day wait for the travelers.

    The Akademik Shokalskiy initially departed from New Zealand with both Russian and Australian passengers aboard. Many passengers are tourists helping scientists with an experiment.

    The Russian Foreign Ministry issued a statement today that a Chinese icebreaker is expected to reach the explorers by tomorrow.

    The Snow Dragon icebreaker was sent out by the Australian Maritime Safety Authority and is said to be traveling at a very cautious speed, 15 nautical miles from the ship.

    On Twitter, Australian professor Chris Turney, announced the rescue.

    “Great news: Icebreaker Snow Dragon on Horizon with penguins! Everyone very happy!” he said.

    Turney, who also helped to arrange the voyage, posted a YouTube video excitedly sharing its slow arrival upon the horizon.

    According to the captain who has stayed in contact with the Russian Embassy, the crew members are safe and unharmed.

    Despite the interruption to the expedition, the scientists will continue with their research even after they’re freed.

    Image via Youtube, Mass Tea Party

  • Kenyan Bus Explosion: Attacks Continue Saturday

    A mini bus and nearby cars in Nairobi, Kenya were left in pieces today after an unconfirmed explosive device exploded inside of the traveling mini bus. Reuters tells us that four people were killed while 36 were left wounded in the fourth Kenyan attack this week.

    The sudden blast turned car parts into shrapnel to quickly transform a normal day into a tragedy. Officials are still working to determine if the explosive was thrown onto or already on the bus.

    This week should be one of celebration for Kenya; they are celebrating its 50th year of independence from Britain. The attackers or force behind the string of attacks is still unknown, so the statement behind them is undetermined.

    A summary of this week’s attacks:

    -On Tuesday, gunmen riddle a police car with bullets leaving eight people dead near the Somalian border.

    -A grenade was hurled at British tourists Thursday– the day of the Kenyan Independence Day. The grenade thankfully malfunctioned, but caused alarm to tourists who were once considered exempt from terrorist activity in Kenya.

    -Masked men threw two grenades into a northeastern Kenyan marketplace Friday killing one person and injuring more.

    The attackers are officially unknown, but the attacks mirror a September 21st attack by a Somali militant group by the name of al-Shabab. The Westgate attack killed at least 67 people in a four-day period, and al-Shabab told Kenya that such attacks will continue until they discontinue any involvement with Somalian affairs. Kenya currently is an asylum for 475,000 Somali refugees.

    Time will tell if these attacks continue. The United Nations, Kenya and Somalia have recently promised to assist any Somalians if they decide to return to their homeland. If this does not reduce the attacks on Kenya, further research is certainly in order to discover the source and reasoning behind these horrific attacks.

    [image: Youtube]