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 in 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:

Topic 1: Hurricane Dorian

On Sunday, Sept. 1, the Bahamas braced itself for an initial category four hurricane that rose water levels up to 20 feet above normal tide levels. The United States was concerned about Florida as Dorian would come dangerously close to the state. Winds were expected to be between 39 and 54 mph. Other states also felt a sense of danger as the governor of North Carolina declared a state of emergency on Sept. 1, and the state of Georgia issued a mandatory evacuation starting Monday. The hurricane hit the Bahamas with winds of up to 150 mph and devastated the country as hundreds failed to evacuate. Later the same day, Dorian was categorized as a category five hurricane with winds reaching over 160 mph, making it the strongest storm to hit the planet this year. Senator Rick Scott of Florida advised individuals to evacuate and to “take care of yourself” first. Many parts of Florida were classified under hurricane watch and hurricane warnings. On Monday, it was confirmed that five were dead in the Abaco Islands due to the storm.  Some good news arrived on Monday when the storm slowed and was categorized as a category three storm. However, officials warned individuals not to let their guard down with Florida experiencing a wind gust of 61 mph. As of Tuesday, Sept. 3, Dorian is moving northwest and away from the Bahamas with winds of up to 110 mph and is expected to pick up speed.

Topic 2: Mass Shooting in Texas

A mass shooting took place in Texas on Aug. 31. The shooter, identified by police as Seth Aaron Ator, killed seven and wounded 22 people before being killed by the police. The shooting began when Ator was stopped in traffic for not using a turn signal. After evading the police, the shooter stole a van and opened fire on bystanders. The police are currently looking into the shooter’s motive, which is not linked to domestic or international terrorism.

Topic 3: Hong Kong Students on Strike

Students in China have been on strike for 13 weeks over a bill that will have criminals extradited. The protest morphed into a pro-democratic protest and is now calling for political reform, the cancellation of the bill and the resignation of the chief executive of Hong Kong, Carrie Lam. The peaceful protesters are preparing for repercussions from the government by wearing goggles, gas masks, hardhats, and shin pads. The students are also carrying backpacks, with a change of clothes, a towel (to wipe away tear gas), a change of clothes (to easily get away from the police) and umbrellas. Students are not the only ones protesting. During their protests, doctors and nurses formed a chain of solidarity to show support. Over 1,100 people have been arrested since the protests began in June.