Three Arrested By Belgium Officials, Accused Participants in Rwandan Genocide
Nearly 30 years after the end of the Rwandan Genocide, Belgium officials recently arrested three men accused of being involved in the event. This comes after a series of arrests as part of a sting to capture perpetrators who were responsible for almost one million deaths in Rwanda.
According to the Wall Street Journal, the three suspects are believed to have committed crimes ranging from distributing guns to the militia, to mounting roadblocks enabling the murder of thousands.
The lawyers of the accused all plead innocent to the large list of charges stacked against them. Officials in Belgium are one of many groups attempting to prosecute those involved in the Rwandan Genocide of the 1990s.
Large-Scale Movie Theater Chain Regal to Close
Regal Cinemas announced its nationwide shutdown of all locations due to COVID-19. It is unknown whether this shutdown will be permanent, as the company merely said they are suspending operations until further notice.
According to Block Club Chicago, there are nine Regal locations closing in Illinois among the 500 locations to close across the United States.
Rock’n’ Roll Icon Eddie Van Halen Loses Battle With Cancer
Van Halen’s death hit the rock’n’roll community hard on Tuesday, October 7, after a two decade long on-off battle with throat cancer. Musicians, celebrities, fans, friends and family all paid tribute to the late singer with tweets, Instagram posts and more.
According to Fox News, former members of Van Halen’s band, Van Halen, took charge in spreading the news of his death, while also honoring the guitar legend.
Van Halen’s legacy will live on in the music community. His band has been in the rock’n’roll hall of fame for 13 years; in addition, Van Halen has an individual ranking of eighth on the list of 100 greatest guitarists, compiled by the Rolling Stones Magazine.
COVID-19 Causes Divide in East and West Germany
Germans have historically seen divides among themselves, dating back to World War II, with the Berlin wall separating the East side of the country from the West; Germany has since found a way back to unity. The COVID-19 pandemic has created a wedge due to the ways the pandemic has been handled.
According to Ekathimerini news, while the opposing views on quarantining versus staying open have caused arguments, the Germans still came together – while following COVID-19 guidelines – to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the Great Democratic Republic (East Germany) joining the Federal Republic of Germany (West Germany) on October 3.
Wisconsin Reviews Cause of COVID-19 Spike
Wisconsin officials are reviewing the cause of recent COVID-19 spikes in the state after data suggested the spikes did not result from college towns or illegal college parties like they once thought.
According to the Wall Street Journal, officials have begun to see rises in cases in cities and towns without college campuses, causing increased confusion surrounding the spread of the virus.
Wisconsin has recently risen to be ranked third on the list of states with the highest number of reported COVID-19 cases, following California and Texas.
Cross Country Athlete Dies in Rollover Crash
15-year-old Grace Schell died on Sunday, October 4, in an ATV rollover crash, with two other teenagers injured in the crash as well. Schell was an active participant on the Liberty High School cross country team since her freshman year in 2019.
According to Milesplit Illinois, the Adams County Coroner’s Office confirmed Schell’s death Sunday afternoon.
The two injured were transported to a local hospital. Antioch sends its condolences to the Schell family and the Liberty community.
Nobel Prize in Medicine Awarded for Discovery of Hepatitis C
The Nobel Peace Prize in Physiology or Medicine was awarded to Dr. Harvey J. Alter, Michael Houghton and Charles M. Rice on October 5 for their discovery of the Hepatitis C virus.
According to the New York Times, the Nobel committee declared this discovery as a tremendous breakthrough that has allowed for blood tests and medicines to be made to support those that have this virus.
The discovery has heightened the hopes of many with the thought of possibly eradicating the disease from the world population.
11 Tasmanian Devils Reintroduced to Mainland Australia
Tasmanian devils have been reintroduced into mainland Australia after they died out nearly 3000 years ago.
According to ABC 7 News, the President of Aussie Ark, the sanctuary the Tasmanian devils were released in, is very excited and knows that October 5 will be looked at as a reset for Australia’s ecology in the future.
This release follows an earlier trial in September, which released 15 Tasmanian devils into the mainland, increasing the total population now to 26 total Tasmanian devils in Australia.
National Zoo Announces Gender of 6-Week-Old Panda
Zookeepers at the National Zoo in Washington, D.C., unveiled a canvas smeared with blue paint, signifying the baby to be male, as a gender reveal for the newest addition to the panda exhibit.
According to AP News, the still-unnamed baby that was born August 26 received a genetic test to determine its gender since male and female baby pandas appear identical.
The National Zoo has limited visitors, so the only available way for panda-lovers to view the panda exhibit is through the “pandacam” on their website. The arrival of a new member to the exhibit has shined a bright light for many, considering the endangered population of pandas.
Grandson of the Tenth President of the United States Dies at 95
Lyon Gardiner Tyler Jr., the grandson of John Tyler- the tenth President of the United States- passed away at the age of 95, on the 175th anniversary of his grandfather leaving the White House.
According to a tweet by White House History, officials are mourning his death, including a photo of Tyler Jr. at the 2018 Presidential Summit.
Tyler Jr. and his brother allowed his grandfather the title of the earliest president to have living grandchildren.
