The Current | Vol. 31 Issue 6

February 17, 201 5 | nsucurrent.nova.edu News Septembe 15, 2020 | ns uc rrent.nova.edu 2 Global news, courtesy of the current 3301 College Avenue Don Taft University Center, PVA Room 328 Fort Lauderdale, FL 33314-7796 nsucurrent.nova.edu NEWSROOM Phone: 954-262-8455 nsunews@nova.edu The Current serves Nova Southeastern University from its location in Room 328 of the Don Taft University Center. The Current is NSU’s established vehicle for student reporting, opinion and the arts. All community members are invited to contribute. Editorials, commentaries and advertisements in this publication reflect the opin- ions of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the University or its officials, The Current staff or other advertisers. The Current will not publish unsigned letters except under special circumstances at the dis- cretion of the Editor-in-Chief. The Current reserves the right to edit. Contributing writers must not be directly involved with their coverage. Coverage by contributing writers must be meaningful and of interest to the NSU community. The Current reserves the right to edit, publish or deny submitted works as it sees fit. The Current shall remain free of associations and activities that may compromise integrity or damage credibility or otherwise cre- ate a bias, real or perceived. Megan Fitzgerald Rey Perez Daniella Rudolph Nyla Wyte Chole Rousseau Briana Ramnauth Ana Maria Soto Blake Malick Gabriel J. Stone Isabella Gomez Aliyah Gomez Erin Cowan Faculty Advisor mf821@nova.edu Jarrod Bailey Staff Advisor jbailey1@nova.edu Sofia Gallus Open Madelyn Rinka Alexander Martinie Rick Esner Christina McLaughlin Flor Ana Mireles Farhan Shaban Sports Editor Features Editor Arts & Entertainment Editor Co-Editor-in-Chief Co-Editor-in-Chief Opinions Editor News Editor Copy Editor Chief of Visual Design Contributing Writer Contributing Writer Contributing Writer Contributing Writer Contributing Writer Contributing Writer Contributing Writer Contributing Writer Contributing Writer Contributing Writer Visual Design Assistant Emma Heineman BUSINESS & ADVERTISING Phone: 954-262-8461 thecurrentad@nova.edu Moira refugee camp destroyed by fires On Sept. 9, the Moira migrant camp on Lesbos Island in Greece, housing approximately 13,000 people, was destroyed by fires.Authorities believe the fires were started by camp residents who were dissatisfied with coronavirus-related lockdown measures after 35 individuals tested positive within the camp. According to CNN, Greece’s Prime Minister, Kyriakos Mitsotakis, declared a state of emergency on the island and condemned the acts of the rioters. A new refugee camp is being set up on the island to accommodate the now-homeless migrants. Plans are also in place to remove the unaccompanied minors from Lesbos, with Greece, Germany and France discussing places of asylum for these individuals. According to the United Nations Refugee Agency, the camp is home to more than 4,000 children, including 407 unaccompanied minors. Final verdicts for suspects in Jamal Khashoggi case In response to the murder of Washington Post journalist Jamal Khashoggi in 2018, Saudi Arabia issued the final verdicts against the eight suspects on Sept. 7. The Saudi Press Agency (SPA) reported that five of the defendants were sentenced to 20 years in prison, one defendant was sentenced to 10 years and the other two defendants were sentenced to seven years in prison. According to CNN, the fiancée of Khashoggi, Hatice Cengiz, called the ruling a “mockery of justice” and a “farce.” Human rights groups call for a reversal of the Winter Olympics 2022 host On Sept. 10, CNN reported that over 160 human rights groups worldwide signed a letter calling for the International Olympic Committee (IOC) to reverse the decision to hold the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing, China. The letter was addressed to IOC President Thomas Bach and cited the actions of the Chinese central government in Xinjiang, Tibet, Hong Kong and Inner Mongolia as grounds for calling for a reversal of hosting privileges. These groups believe that this decision works against the Olympic Charter’s core principles of “human dignity.” According to a statement from the IOC published by Reuters, the IOC remains neutral on political issues and awarding the Olympic Games to a host country does not mean the IOC agrees with the political structure, circumstances or human rights standards of the awarded country. Mining CEO resigns after aboriginal cave destruction On Sept. 11, Jean-Sebastien Jacques, CEO of global mining group Rio Tinto, stepped down in response to criticism from the public and shareholders after the destruction of ancient caves. InMay, Rio Tinto destroyed two ancient caves in Pilbara, Australia. These ancient caves, known as the Juukan Gorge rock shelters, were viewed as significant archaeological research sites with evidence proving continuous human habitation 46,000 years ago, according to the BBC. The site of the caves is believed to be worth eight million tons of high-grade iron ore with an estimated value of $96 million. Jacques, as well as two other senior executives of Rio Tinto’s iron ore and corporate relations divisions, will leave the company at the end of the year. Jacques will remain CEO until March or until a successor is appointed. Wildfires in Oregon continue to rage The mayor of Portland issued a state of emergency last Friday as wildfires edged closer to towns and suburbs, according to The New York Times. Approximately 500,000 individuals have been given evacuation orders -- about one in every 10 residents. The wildfires, which have already burned nearly a million acres in Oregon, continue to threaten the state as officials add that winds are making battling the flames difficult. Residents continue to face additional problems due to air quality, smoke and ash. Colleges across the U.S. face outbreaks of COVID-19 Despite protocols and processes in place, colleges across the U.S. are facing outbreaks of COVID-19 on their campuses. According to The New York Times, partying and “‘willful noncompliance’” from some individuals has led to an outcome that’s different from the predictive models that were created by researchers. A survey conducted by The New York Times of 1,600 U.S. colleges found at least 88,000 cases and 60 deaths, although most of the deaths were of university employees and occurred in the spring. USA Today reported that of the 25 “hot spots” in the U.S., 19 of them were in communities with a large population of college students. South Dakota meatpacking plant under scrutiny from OSHA The Smithfield Foods pork plant in Sioux Falls, SD, was issued a $13,494 fine last Thursday from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). According to the Associated Press, OSHA found the plant guilty of having workers too close in proximity to one another and failed to provide safety measures to further protect its employees. Upon the latest assessment, the plant was the source of four COVID-19 related deaths, at least 1,294 infections and 43 hospitalizations. The company has stated that they plan to fight the citation and fine. Attorneys fight for separate trials in the case of George Floyd’s death Attorneys for the former officers involved in the killing of George Floyd last May have argued that the trials need to be separated, citing the individuals are “pointing fingers at one another,” according to The Guardian. Derek Chauvin is charged with second- degree murder, third-degree murder and manslaughter, and Thomas Lane, J Kueng and Tou Thao are charged with the aiding and abetting of both second-degree murder and manslaughter. Prosecutors are requesting a joint trial, as the evidence for each officer is similar and witnesses and family members may be “traumatized” by several trials.

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