Our Top 5 Stories for the Week of September 20, 2021

Updated September 26, 2021 | Infoplease Staff

It’s been a busy week, from an Apple vs. Fortnite lawsuit to a volcanic eruption. Who has time to keep track of it all? That’s why we’ve boiled it all down to our top five stories of the week.

Coronavirus Updates (4)

Photo Source: NDZ/STAR MAX/IPx 2021 9/15/21

• Cases in the US on the Rise: On Sunday, September 19, Mississippi was reported to have the most deaths per capita. Governor Reeves defended his actions and continued to criticize President Biden’s vaccine and mask mandates.^[1] On Monday, September 20, Montana officially reached capacity at various hospitals. Many ICU beds became unavailable due to the Delta Variant.^[2]
• Vaccine Mandate Goes into Effect: On Tuesday, September 21, the vaccine mandate went into effect in North Carolina. Hundreds of employees were suspended from a health care provider due to the new mandate. The employees have five days to comply with the new mandate or they risk losing their jobs.^[3] On Friday, September 24, CNN reported that New York City schools may be out of thousands of teachers come Tuesday, when the vaccine mandate for the school systems goes into effect. Teachers who have not complied will have three options: get vaccinated, take one year unpaid leave, or take a severance package and lose their job.^[4] The next day, a federal court issued a temporary injunction, temporarily blocking enforcement for the NYC educator vaccine mandate. Unless reviewed before Tuesday, the mandate most likely won’t go into effect on the original deadline date.^[5]
• Travel Restrictions Around the World: On Tuesday, September 21, it was announced that travel restrictions for the US will be eased. Starting in November, fully vaccinated passengers from the EU and UK will be allowed to enter the US.^[6] On Wednesday, September 22, Australia’s tourism minister stated that the country is set to open its borders by Christmas at the latest. The country has been running an “It’s Our Best Shot for Travel” campaign to promote its vaccine rollout.^[7]

Source: [1] [2]CNN [3]CNN [4]CNN [5]CNN [6]BBC [7]CNN

Check out some more Covid resources.

Deadly Tragedies Around the World

Photo Source: AP Photo/Ted Shaffrey

• Pennsylvania Tragedies: On Sunday, September 19, two tragedies struck different areas of Pennsylvania. A bus crash left at least 6 people in critical condition and another 24 wounded. The bus lost control while going off an exit ramp, crashing into a guide rail.^[1] Elsewhere in the state, a shooting at a baby shower left three people wounded. The crime was allegedly due to an argument regarding gifts.^[2]
• Texas Plane Crash: On Sunday, September 19, a military plane crashed in Lake Worth, Texas, injuring two people in the residential area. The pilot and a student were ejected from the flight and taken to the hospital. Little information is known at this time.^[3]
• Shooting at Russian University: On Monday, September 20, at least 8 students were killed after a shooting occurred at a university in Perm, Russia. The suspect entered Perm State University and began shooting before allegedly resisting law enforcement. He sustained some injuries before being detained.^[4]
• Suicide Bombing in Somalia: On Saturday, September 25, at least seven people were killed after a suicide bombing near the presidential palace in Somalia. At least 8 other people were injured by the suicide car bomb. Al-Shabaab claimed responsibility for the attack in a short statement. The car was stopped by security to be cleared before entrance, but the bomb went off before security got much further. Seven cars and three rickshaws were destroyed by the explosion.^[5]

Source: [1]CNN [2]CNN [3]CNN [4]CNN [5]BBC

Learn more about Somalia.

Major Elections Around the World

Photo Source: Thilo Schmuelgen/Pool via AP

• Germany: On Saturday, September 25, the polls in Germany remained unusually close. As of now, the results are much too close to call. Chancellor Merkel has announced her support for center-right candidate Armin Laschet. The SPD party’s candidate, Olaf Scholz, is slightly further ahead.^[1] The European Commission has accused Russia of trying to interfere with the election. It has stated that it’s witnessed cyberattacks from Russian forces.^[2]
• Iceland: On Saturday, September 25, ipeople took to the polls to vote a record nine parties into parliament in Iceland. This choice could make it very difficult for the country to reach common ground in many situations. The Left-Green movement has been in control since 2017, but is expected to lose some support this time around. Climate change and taxation remain major issues for Icelandic voters.^[3]

Source: [1]BBC [2]CNN [3]CNN

Learn more about elections in Germany.

Apple Bans Fortnite

Photo Source: Vicki Behringer via AP

On Saturday, September 25, Apple announced that it will be banning Fortnite from its platform due a legal disagreement with Epic Games. The legal battle began when Fortnite launched its own in-app payment method against the terms of service of Apple. Apple users will no longer be able to download the game; however, those who already have it downloaded can continue to play it without updates. Epic Games has filed an appeal, but the lawsuit could take up to five years. Confidential information continues to be leaked by an Apple employee.
Source: BBC

Volcanoes, Floods, Storms, Oh My!

Photo Source: AP Photo/Daniel Roca

• Tropical Storm Rose: On Sunday, September 19, the 17th tropical storm of 2021, Tropical Storm Rose, began to form. The storm is about 370 miles west of Cabo Verde Islands. The National Hurricane Center has said that though it will gain some momentum, it shouldn’t hit land.^[1]
• Floods in Burundi: On Monday, September 20, it was reported that the waters of Lake Tanganyika have begun overflowing due to floods in Burundi. In the past few years, more than 100,000 people in the area have been forced to flee their homes. The lake also runs through various other African countries.^[2]
• La Palma Volcano: On Monday, September 20, La Palma volcano on one of Spain’s Canary Islands erupted after several earthquakes were felt surrounding the area. The island has been on an eruption watch since the earthquakes were felt. People have been evacuated and areas have been closed off in preparation.^[3] On Tuesday, September 21, lava spewed from the La Palma volcano, requiring more evacuations of the area. Upwards to 80,000 people have been forced to leave their homes. No fatalities and injuries have been reported, luckily.^[4] On Saturday, September 25, the La Palma airport closed as volcanic eruptions intensified. Many people were attempting to leave the island, but clouds of smoke prevented their evacuations. The volcano is spewing even more lava from an open valve and is expected to worsen. No fatalities have been reported, but firefighters have left the area to protect themselves for the time being.^[5]
• Earthquake in Australia: On Wednesday, September 22, a magnitude 5.9 earthquake struck Melbourne, Australia. At least one building suffered damage and power lines have been disrupted. However, there is no tsunami threat at this time.^[6]

Source: [1]CNN [2]BBC [3]CNN [4]CNN [5]BBC [6]CNN

Learn more about the deadliest volcanic eruptions.