Outside Iona

Krystal Ortiz, News Editor
September 1, 2020

Throughout our hectic student lives, we should always remain aware of what is happening

around us. In this column, I find the most significant things going on around the world and

provide you with a small blurb of all the nitty-gritty details! Here are some of the major events

that have been happening:

Coronavirus general update.

Confirmed cases of the coronavirus have reached six million in the United States and 25 million globally. This marks over 800,000 deaths globally. During the past week Spain has reported more infections per capita than any other place in Europe, sparking fears that the country is facing a new wave of coronavirus. In the U.S., with its peak finally at an end, some states have begun to open up, such as New Jersey, which will be allowing movie theaters and indoor dining to resume on Friday. Some states have already begun the reopening process, such as New York, one of the former hotspots of the country. However, things are far from over in terms of the growing number of cases in the U.S. According to a forecast from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention predicts more than 200,000 coronavirus deaths by Sept. 19.

Information from the New York Times and CNN News.

Chadwick Boseman’s passing.

Chadwick Boseman passed away on Aug. 28 from stage IV colon cancer. At 43 years old, the actor’s death sparked surprise for many individuals because he had not gone public with his diagnosis, making his death very sudden. Boseman was diagnosed with cancer in 2016 and “suffered in silence” according to his peers and family members. Boseman stared in a number of notable films including Da 5 Bloods, 42, 21 Bridges, Get on Up and Black Panther. Many celebrities have paid tribute to Boseman, including Denzel Washington, who once paid the late actor’s tuition. Washington referred to Denzel as a “gentle soul” and “brilliant artist.” ABC aired a tribute to Boseman, “Chadwick Boseman: A Tribute for A King” after an airing of Black Panther.

Information from CNN news and Forbes news.

Shooting in Portland.

A 17-year-old known as Kyle Rittenhouse was accused of killing two protesters and injuring a third with an AR-15-style rifle in Kenosha, Wisconsin, on Tuesday night. He has since been charged as an adult with two counts of first-degree homicide and one count of attempted homicide. Rittenhouse additionally has been charged of recklessly endangering the safety of two other victims and possessing a weapon while under the age of 18. The shootings happened during a protest against the police shooting of Jacob Blake on Aug. 23. The teenager said that he went to the protests in Wisconsin to protect businesses and defend innocent people. His reasoning has since sparked a debate over anti-racism protests happening in many cities and the vigilantism that has sometimes met them.