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US Announces First Case of Chinese Virus
On January 21, the US announced its first case of the coronavirus that has swept China. So far, China has reported more than 300 cases and 9 deaths. The US citizen recently traveled from China, and has been treated at a hospital in Seattle. On January 24, a second case was confirmed in the US. The woman was traveling back to Chicago from China. The US is considering evacuating other citizens in Wuhan. (BBC) -
5 Tons of Drugs Found in Submarine
On February 20, a submarine carrying 5 tons of drugs was seized off the coast of Panama. The vessel appears to be homemade, and so far, authorities have arrested 4 Colombians. (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) -
ISS Launches
On April 10, after a strict quarantine due to coronavirus, a group of three astronauts arrived at the ISS for take off. Only essential personnel was allowed at the site during the launch. The launch was successful. (BBC) -
Kim Jong Un Appearance
On May 2, North Korean state-run media reported that Kim Jong Un made an appearance at a May Day celebration, laughing and smoking a cigarette. The state-run media released a video where Kim Jong Un can be seen walking and sitting at the event. (CNN) -
Protests Continue Across the US
On June 7, a man drove his car into a group of protesters in Seattle. The man allegedly fired shots into the crowd, injuring one person. The gun has been recovered and the suspect is in custody. On June 12, officers in Seattle expressed that they would like to return to their abandoned precinct. -
Floods Across China
On July 15, floods in China continued to escalate after weeks of heavy rain. These floods are some of the worst China has seen in decades, and over 38 million people have been affected thus far. At least 141 people are either dead or missing due to the floods. -
Potential TikTok Ban
On August 2, President Trump announced plans to ban TikTok, which has been accused of being Chinese spyware. After the statement, Microsoft announced that it was considering purchasing TikTok after a full security review is conducted. Talks between Microsoft and TikTok parent company ByteDance should conclude by mid-September. This new center will store data from European users. This data was previously stored in the US with a backup in Singapore. -
Coronavirus Updates
On September 1, it was reported that a karaoke bar in Canada could face fines after at least 30 coronavirus cases were linked to it. The bar has announced they will close for a week and urge patrons to get tested. On September 4, former Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi was admitted to the hospital after testing positive for coronavirus. . -
President Trump Tests Positive
On October 2, President Trump and his wife, First Lady Melania, 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. On October 2, President Trump tweeted a video of himself thanking the hospital staff and discussing his situation. -
Australia Bushfire Spreads
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. -
Facebook Lawsuits
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.