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Coronavirus in China
On January 20, China announced it reached 139 cases of pneumonia caused by a new strain of coronavirus. So far, three people have died from the virus, which is mostly in Beijing. (CNN) -
Flooding and Landslides in Southern US
On February 17, the Pearl River in Mississippi reached its third-highest crest, causing immense flooding. The flooding has destroyed hundreds of homes and businesses. Elsewhere, near the Tennessee River, landslides have destroyed at least two homes. (CNN) -
Deadly Tornadoes Sweep Tennessee
On March 3, two tornadoes swept through Tennessee, killing 24 people and damaging hundreds of homes and buildings. The tornado hit while many people were sleeping, so they didn’t have enough time to take cover. A state of emergency continues to remain in place as rescuers scour the impacted areas. (CNN/BBC) -
Underwater Forest Discovered
On April 8, scientists discovered an underwater forest that could be 60,000 years old. Scientists believe explorers planted trees near the Gulf of Mexico, which later fell and were buried under sediments and rising sea levels. Scientists believe this new discovery will open possibilities for discovering new medicines and saving lives. (CNN) -
Murder Hornets Spotted in the US
On May 4, a highly venomous and invasive hornet species, dubbed “Murder Hornets,” have been spotted in the US. The hornets originated in Asia, but have now been spotted in Washington state. They have been killing the already dying bee population in the state. The hornets are longer than two inches, and if stung multiple times, a human can die from the sting. (CNN) -
Black Lives Matter Protests
By June 6, as US protests entered their 12th consecutive day, various European countries and Australia participated in Black Lives Matter protests themselves. On June 5, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau took a knee during BLM protests in Canada. On June 6, after a court overturned the ruling that protests are illegal due to coronavirus, over 10,000 people protested for justice in Sydney, Australia. (CNN) -
Massive Twitter Hack
On July 15, some of the most prominent Twitter accounts were hacked, scamming over $120,000 for the hackers before being shut down. Various verified accounts, including Barack Obama, Elon Musk, Apple, Joe Biden, and Bill Gates, were hacked and used to ask for Bitcoins. Twitter security personnel, cybersecurity experts, and the FBI are currently investigating the hacking. All verified accounts were suspended until Twitter could be secured. (CNN) -
Apple Fire in California
On August 3, the Apple Fire in California counties Riverside and San Bernardino spread over 20,000 acres and is only 5% contained. The steep and rugged terrain is making it difficult for officials to fight the fire. As of now, more than 2,000 responders are attempting to fight the fire. (CNN) -
Facebook to Freeze Political Ads
On September 3, Mark Zuckerberg announced that Facebook will not take any new political ads seven days prior to the US election, though it will continue to show already acquired ads to the target audiences. Facebook will also label posts of candidates who claim victory before votes are counted. Zuckerberg stated he was worried about the division of people in the US, and hopes these measures will prevent civil unrest. (BBC) -
California Wildfires Continue to Rage
As of October 3, at least two California wildfires were still not managed: The Glass Fire and Zogg Fire. The Glass Fire is only 10% contained and the Zogg Fire is 57% contained. At least 120,000 acres have been destroyed, and at least 40 people have died due to the blazes. The fires are expected to worsen as high temperatures are predicted for the next few days. (CNN) -
TikTok Ban Halted
On November 11, the US Commerce Department halted the ban on TikTok that was meant to go into effect the next day. The original order was going to ban the app from being downloaded in the US, but the department stated it has not heard any further advice from the government. The halt comes to the relief of nearly 100 million TikTok users in the US. (BBC) -
Twitter to Wipe President’s Followers
On December 22, Twitter announced that it will wipe all the followers from the official US Presidential account before transferring it over to Joe Biden. Biden’s team fought this plan, as last term, President Trump was allowed to inherit Barack Obama’s followers. Twitter did state that those following the accounts will be notified that it’s being archived and it will prompt them to refollow if they desire. (BBC)
