News Roundup: Oct. 16 – 31
Here are the top stories Oct. 16 to Oct. 31 from Texas, the United States and around the world.
Texas:
Flooding: Thirteen inches of rain flooded residents of central Texas resulting in two deaths. The rain flooded the Llano River, forcing many to evacuate their homes amid dam breaches and bridge collapses among other destruction. The state has seen record amounts of rainfall this year, prompting officials to act.
Former gymnastics president indicted: The former President of USA Gymnastics Steve Penny was indicted by a Texas grand jury on charges of tampering with evidence in the investigation of former USA Gymnastics doctor, Larry Nassar. Penny has denied the allegations and entered a plea of “Not Guilty,” now out on a $20,000 bail.
Mandated police interaction education: Texas schools have mandated that students watch a video explaining the expectations of citizens when confronted by law enforcement. As part of the Texas Community Safety Education Act, students must view the video in order to graduate. The video teaches students about the role of law enforcement, the rights of citizens, behavioral expectations, and instructions on filing complaints.
United States:
Right to repair: The Librarian of Congress adopted exemptions to the Digital Millennium Copyright Act which, “establishes that you have a legal right to repair something that you own and that does not infringe upon the copyright protection afforded to the manufacturer,” resulting in consumers far and wide having explicit rights to repair their devices without software verification of repaired or replaced hardware parts.
Living Planet Report: The World Wildlife Foundation’s (WWF) semi-annual “Living Planet Report” reports that mass wildlife loss can be attributed to “exploding human consumption.” However, the report asserts that this is the “last generation” able to preserve the environment. Conservation efforts recommended by the WWF included “a new global deal for nature and people” similar to the Paris agreement.
Migrant caravan: A migrant caravan of over 7,000 people traveling through Central America is headed for the United States border, The caravan has been the subject of intense debate among Americans, resulting in warnings from both Mexico and the United States regarding the proper procedures for immigration being integral to asylum-seekers who want to immigrate lawfully into Mexico or the United States.
International:
Jamal Khashoggi: After weeks of denial, Saudi Arabia says Journalist Jamal Khashoggi was killed in a fight inside of the Saudi Arabian Consulate in Istanbul. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has demanded the 18 arrested suspects in Saudi Arabia be extradited to Istanbul to stand trial.
Microplastics in table salt: Greenpeace East Asia released a study revealing that 90 percent of table salt brands contained microplastics. Microplastics have also been found in tap water, seafood and wildlife. The effects of microplastics on the human body are largely unknown but are estimated to have detrimental physical and chemical consequences.
Pando shrinking: The world’s largest organism, Pando, is shrinking. Made up of thousands of aspen trees, Pando has been compromised by grazing wildlife who have persisted through measures to keep them from the forest. Conservationists say “mega-conservation” tactics can fend off the wildlife and help the organism continue to flourish.
On the bright side:
This kindergarten class in Tennessee learned how to sign the words to “Happy Birthday” in order to celebrate James Anthony, their school custodian’s 60th birthday. Although “Mr. James” is hearing impaired, he could read their signs and lips as they celebrated him.
