As busy college students it is all too easy to shut out the world outside of our college campuses, but now you can finally keep up with breaking stories from around the world. Here you can get a sharp and easy-to-digest weekly roundup on what is going on in the news – and even better, you can read it in five minutes or less.
1. Obama to Meet With Families of Oregon Shooting Victims.
President Obama will travel to Oregon on Friday for closed-door meetings with the families of the victims of last week’s shooting at Umpqua Community College. On October 1, Christopher Harper-Mercer killed nine people at the community college campus before taking his own life. This tragedy marks the 143rd school shooting in America since 2013.
2. Doctors Without Borders Hospital Bombed in Afghanistan.
A U.S. launched airstrike against Kunduz, Afghanistan, hit a Doctors Without Borders hospital on Saturday, October 3rd. The attack killed 22 people. The incident now ranks among one of the most conspicuous U.S. strikes to result in civilian casualties in Afghanistan. DWB has since left Kunduz and is demanding an independent investigation by the International Humanitarian Fact-Finding Commission – which although created in 1991, has never before been used.
3. Hockey Season Returns.
The National Hockey League begins its season today, October 7th. With 30 teams across the U.S. and over 80 games a season, the league gains die-hard fans. This year it is said that the NHL has no overwhelming favorite for who will claim the Stanley Cup title. The Chicago Blackhawks, who won their third NHL title in six years last summer, are the closest thing to a dynasty in the league – but with the changes they made during the offseason, they left the race remarkably competitive.
4. Dam Breaks & Flooding in Carolinas Kill 17 People.
While the rain may have stopped, the Carolinas are coming to face 11 failed dams and billions of dollars worth of damages. The flooding has caused nine people to drown and six others to die in traffic accidents. As many as 800 people were displaced from their homes and as a result, looting has become another major issue. And the flooding is far from over. Rivers may continue to overflow for two weeks.
5. U.S. to Release 6,000 Inmates.
Starting at the end of this month, the Justice Department will release an estimated 6,000 inmates from federal penitentiaries. This is part of an effort to alleviate overcrowding in prisons. The U.S. justice system has been under fire in the past several years for harsh prison sentences given to people who committed nonviolent crimes. The U.S. has the largest prison population in the world with the highest number of incarcerated people per capita.