News Roundup 11/12/20
Tropical Storm Eta Passes Through Florida
Tropical Storm Eta has recently passed through the north and central regions of Florida from the Gulf of Mexico, only to reach the Atlantic Ocean this afternoon. Yesterday, the western region of Florida encountered strong winds and rain from the storm while it was occupying the Gulf of Mexico. North and central Florida also encountered an estimated two to six inches of rain pouring all throughout those regions, beginning yesterday and continuing through this morning. There has also been at least one death caused by the destruction and floodings from Tropical Storm Eta. According to the National Hurricane Center, the center of Eta will be passing below the coasts of Georgia and South and North Carolina respectively between today and Friday, only to move eastward from the mid-Atlantic coast by late Friday.
Source: CNN
Jerry Rawlings, Ghana’s Former President, Passes Away
This morning, according to a statement by Ghana’s president Nana Akufo-Addo, former leader Jerry Rawlings passed away at age 73 after a brief illness.
“A great tree has fallen,” Akufo-Addo said in the statement, “and Ghana is poorer for this loss.”
Although Rawlings initially stepped into leadership over the nation through two military coups, one in 1979 and the other in 1981, he went on to help enhance Ghana’s government into a balanced democracy before his retirement in 2001. Now, Ghana is regarded as one of the most civilized democracies in the west African region, with Rawlings being considered as one of the essential causes behind the country’s political evolution.
Source: The Guardian
Australia Discovers Bigfin Squid for the First Time
For the very first time, the massively rare bigfin squid was discovered within Australian waters. The discovery was recently established by Deborah Osterhage and her colleagues from the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization in Hobart, Australia. While they were conducting aquatic surveys in the Great Australian Bight, an open bay situated in the southern Australian coast, Osterhage and her partners first noticed the squid over 2,100 meters underwater. Up until now, only three encounters with the bigfin squid within the southern hemisphere have been reported.
Source: New Scientist
Jessica Benham Becomes First Bisexual and Autistic Representative of Pennsylvania
Jessica Benham, an openly bisexual and autistic woman, will be running in the Pennsylvania House of Representatives next year, after having won the position for the Democratic side with an estimated 62.5% of the vote on Election Day. Jessica Benham, a co-founder and representative of The Pittsburgh Center for Autistic Advocacy, argues that the autistic and LGBTQ communities in Pennsylvania need better representation and recognition from the government.
“I was hearing from my community that they wanted someone who was like them to be represented,” she told ABC News. “Their voice was long unheard.”
Source: ABC News
The Weeknd to Perform the Halftime Show for 2021 Super Bowl
It was announced by Pepsi, Roc Nation, and the N.F.L. that the Weeknd, one of the most popular pop artists to date, will perform for the Pepsi-sponsored Halftime Show during next year’s Super Bowl. The fifty-fifth Super Bowl has recently been scheduled to take place at the Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Florida, on February 7, 2021. Due to the safety regulations established in light of Covid-19, however, it is likely that the seating at the stadium, if it will be available at all, will be limited. In this case, the N.F.L. will still be able to entertain the massive number of viewers at home by hiring a big-name music icon to rock the stage. Hip-hop artist Jay-Z, who founded Roc Nation, vowed in a statement that the upcoming Super Bowl’s Halftime Show will not disappoint.
“This is an extraordinary moment in time,” he argued in the statement, “and the Pepsi Super Bowl LV Halftime Show is going to be an extraordinary experience with an extraordinary performer.”
Source: TIME Magazine