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On January 8, a Ukrainian International flight crashed in Iran, killing all 176 people on board. The majority of passengers were Iranian and Canadian. A spokesperson for the aircraft said it was checked two days prior with no issues. On January 11, it was revealed that the crash was due to missiles launched by Iran, though those missiles were not purposely sent on the plane. (CNN)
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On February 8, the first American citizen died of the coronavirus in Wuhan. The death was announced hours after two flights evacuated US citizens from Wuhan. This is the first American to die from the virus that has killed hundreds in China. (CNN)
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On March 18, a 5.7 magnitude earthquake hit Utah, cutting over power to thousands of people. The quake comes amid pandemic panic across the country. (CNN)
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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)
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On May 1, a few weeks after one of the country’s worst mass shootings, Prime Minister Trudeau announced an assault rifle ban in Canada. The new rules make it illegal to make, sell, or purchase over 1,500 types of ARs. (BBC
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By June 3, dozens of US cities joined the Black Lives Matter protests, which have since turned violent as protesters clashed with police. On June 1, the White House lights went out and President Trump allegedly was brought to his bunker. On June 1, it was announced that 6 Atlanta police officers will be charged with using excessive force on two college students during a protest.
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On July 22, a 7.8 magnitude earthquake struck off the coast of Alaska, conjuring tsunami concerns. Though a tsunami went out, it is not clear how much damage was done by the earthquake. (CNN)
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On August 23, TikTok announced it will launch legal action against the Trump ban. Earlier this month, President Trump signed an executive order that bans transactions with ByteDance, the owner of TikTok. The ban came after concerns were expressed about ByteDance selling American’s data to China. The company has denied the claims and plans to take legal action to reverse the ban. (BBC)
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On September 17, Ugandan prisoners overpowered guards, escaping with at 15 guns and loads of ammunition. At least 219 prisoners are suspected to have escaped, while 2 other prisoners were killed during the battle and two were re-arrested. This is the country’s third jail escape since the coronavirus outbreak began in March. (CNN)
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On October 2, President Trump and his wife, First Lady Melanie, both tested positive for COVID. Following the diagnosis, the two were taken to the hospital as a precautionary measure. President Trump has stated that he has developed a fever and chills, but “feels much better” after a brief stay at the hospital.
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On November 30, Australian firefighters continued to fight a major bushfire that has now spread to Fraser Island, a popular tourist destination. The fire has now raged for six weeks straight and has destroyed the Unesco World Heritage Site. (BBC)
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On December 9, in various lawsuits, Facebook was accused of breaking antitrust laws by buying out too much of the competition. Losing the lawsuits will mean that Facebook must now sell Instagram and/or Whatsapp. (BBC)
