Car Drives Through Black Lives Matter Crowd in Times Square
Hundreds gathered in the rain at Times Square on Thursday, September 3 after a motorist drove a Ford Taurus into the crowd. Bicyclists surrounded the car to prevent it from moving deeper into the crowd. In videos taken by protestors on the scene, it can be seen that one bike was thrown in the air. There were no serious injuries from the incident.
According to Fox News, protestors speculated the car was a New York Police Department vehicle aimed to break up the protest, however the NYPD shut down the claims.
Chicago Adds Three More States To Travel Order
Chicago has added three more states to the existing list of 19; residents who travel from these locations are required to self-quarantine for 14 days upon their return. Violators of these orders can be fined $100-$500 each day, the maximum fine being $7000.
According to the City of Chicago website, the original list includes states with high numbers of positive cases such as California and Florida. The three new states added to this travel order include Hawaii, Nebraska and North Carolina; however, Indiana is rumored to join that list soon. This travel order was created by the city of Chicago with the intention of lowering the spread of COVID-19 cases in the populous city.
COVID-19 Update
Illinois has seen an uprise in COVID-19 cases, with 39 new deaths reported by September 3. The University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign has announced a spike in positive COVID cases, allegedly being tied to the large weekend gatherings of students.
According to Sequoit Alumna and Illini track and field athlete, Noor Abdellatif, athletes have been put through extensive measures in regards to COVID. Athletes were required to quarantine upon their return to campus.
“For practices, we have to take daily temperature screenings and pulse checks,” Abdellatif said. “We have to wear our masks while entering practice facilities too, but once we’re working out we’re allowed to take them off. We are also required to maintain a 6 feet distance [from one another]”
While the athletes have taken measures, the academic students have faced some regulations. UIUC has been proactive in the handling of COVID-19 and getting students back on campus, potentially creating an example for other school systems state-wide.
Trump Flies into Waukegan Airport to Visit Kenosha
Following Black Lives Matter riots in the area, U.S. President Donald Trump made a visit to Kenosha, Wisconsin on Tuesday, September 1. Trump delivered remarks at Mary M. Bradford High School announcing his support for the people of Kenosha and the state of Wisconsin. In an official document published by the White House website, the president made his remarks and recognized hardworking Wisconsin officials. As of Thursday, September 3, there has been some backlash on a photo-op between Trump and a former Kenosha business owner.
Democratic Candidate Biden Visits Kenosha
Just two days after President Donald Trump visited, 2020 presidential candidate Joe Biden took a trip to Kenosha. Biden announced this visit was to ease racial tensions in the town.
According to The Guardian, Biden met with multiple members of Jacob Blake’s family, including Blake’s father and three of his siblings. Unlike his response to Trump, Senator Ron Johnson welcomed Biden via Twitter while also suggesting Biden visited what’s left of the downtown area.
Floods in Pakistan Cause Havoc
The people of Pakistan’s largest city, Karachi, were left to fend for themselves after record-setting monsoon rains caused mass destruction.
According to the Middle Eastern news source AlJazeera, the streets turned into rivers, overloading the city’s sewage systems. Nearly 20 million people inhabit the city of Karachi, worsening the situation even more due to the heightened need for clean drinking water and food. Many have been injured and there are 189 reported deaths.
Illinois Approved for $300 Additional Unemployment Benefits
Illinois is one of the last states to apply for additional unemployment benefits from the federal government, authorizing $300 per week on top of the regular unemployment benefit. Governor Pritzker announced this plan on Monday, August 31.
According to the Daily Herald, the request was filed and verified by the Federal Emergency Management Agency on Tuesday, September 1. New unemployment claims dropped to 24,116 as of the end of the week of August 29; that number dropped 2,146 new claims from the prior week.
Japanese Company Successfully Completes Flying Car Test Drive
After seeing a test drive of their newest flying car prototype, the CEO of Skydrive announced his plan to release this car to the public by 2023. The company, backed by bigtime car brand Toyota, has received 37 million dollars in funding for this new project.
According to the Skydrive website, the SD-XX prototype has the capability of holding one person and a maximum drive time of ten minutes with a top speed of 37 miles per hour. The company expects to continue with improving the prototype, hopefully looking at another test drive in the near future.
Man Arrested for Hitting Elderly Man and Setting Woman on Fire
Around 8:30 a.m. on Wednesday, September 2, neighbors in Waukesha, Wisconsin claimed a woman was doused in flammable liquid and set on fire. The woman- whose identity has not been revealed- was reportedly walking her dogs when the unprovoked suspect set her on fire.
According to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, the same suspect was believed to have run over 83-year-old William Godfrey, while also setting two of Godfrey’s cars on fire. The condition of both victims remains unknown, while the unnamed suspect is currently under police investigation.
U.S. Troops Deployed in Lithuania
U.S troops are planned to be deployed in Lithuania on Friday, September 4, amidst rising tensions with Belarus.
According to Lithuania National Television and Radio, the Lithuanian defence ministry said that the troops deployment was not associated with anything happening in the region; rather, their deployment was pre-planned. The armored 2nd Battalion of the 69th Regiment of the U.S. Army 2nd Brigade plans to train with Lithuainian troops as part of the U.S Army operation Atlantic Resolve- a mission launched to deter Russia’s aggression to the region. It is unknown how long the troops will stay in rotation there.
