ICYMI: National News From the Summer

In case you missed any major news stories this summer, here are some of the most pressing topics you should know about before your first current events quiz.

James Gathany/CDC

James Gathany/CDC

Zika Virus: The virus is now infecting people in South Florida who have not traveled outside the U.S., but Congress has not allocated a budget to fight it. The virus, which can cause severe birth defects, is mosquito-borne and can also be spread through sex and blood.

Trump v. Clinton: Hillary Clinton is ahead in the polls, but her health has been brought into question. Donald Trump is constantly changing positions on major issues. The 2016 presidential election is shaping up to be a historic one.

#BlackLivesMatter: Protests have continued throughout the summer, many after high-profile incidents where police shot and killed black men. This has caused a huge divide Screen Shot 2016-08-25 at 1.37.41 PMon social media, where #BlackLivesMatter is frequently responded to with #AllLivesMatter. There will be a Black Lives Matter assembly in Lubbock on Tuesday, which the Hub@TTU will report on.

Dallas sniper attack: During a protest in Dallas on July 7, five police officers were killed by a lone shooter. 12 officers total were shot. The gunman was shot and killed by a Dallas police bomb squad robot. He was identified as 25-year-old Micah Xavier Johnson of Mesquite, Texas.

Drone strike in Syria: On July 19, a United States drone strike intended to kill Islamic State fighters instead killed entire families fleeing from that very group. At least 56 civilians, apparently mistaken for the fighters, died in the attack.

Republican National Convention: Donald Trump accepted the nomination with the longest speech ever by a nominee. Melania Trump was accused of plagiarizing her speech from Michelle Obama. Ted Cruz did not endorse Trump and was booed off the stage.

Democratic National Convention: Hillary Clinton is the first female presidential nominee to secure the backing of a major U.S. political party. During the convention, she called for criminal justice and gun reform, with policies that echo President Obama’s.

Louisiana flooding: This summer brought the worst natural disaster in America since Superstorm Sandy. Twenty parishes were declared federal disaster areas, tens of thousands of residents were displaced, and almost 7 trillion gallons of water fell on the state in a week.

Fernando Frazão/Agência Brasil

Fernando Frazão/Agência Brasil

Rio Olympics: Viewership dropped significantly since the London Olympics in 2012. Although there are more options for viewing the Olympics, the Rio closing ceremony had almost 14 million less viewers than London’s. Swimmer Michael Phelps retired with 28 medals, passing the torch to rising star Katie Ledecky. The name Simone is making a comeback. Swimmer Ryan Lochte is facing charges after reporting a false robbery. All in all, America came out on top again, with 121 total medals. China finished second, with 70 medals.

Harambe: After a 4-year-old boy crawled through the railing at the Cincinnati Zoo and fell into the enclosure of a 400-pound silverback gorilla, zookeepers had to shoot and kill the animal, named Harambe. In the months following, the gorilla has turned into a social network sensation. The zoo has recently asked people to stop the memes and let them grieve the loss of their 17-year-old gorilla in peace.

About Maddy McCarty

Maddy is the Graduate Executive Director for The Hub@TTU. She loves reading, writing and petting her cats. She has a bachelor's degree in journalism, is pursuing her master's in mass communications and wants to continue reporting on important issues.