Santorini Earthquakes

A month after they started, an earthquake storm in Greece is finally waning. The barrage of seismic activity that began in late January was highly unusual and led to a state of emergency being declared on the island Santorini, a popular tourist destination. An Interdisciplinary Committee for Risk and Crisis Management at the University of Athens said that more than 20,000 earthquakes were recorded between January 26 and February 22. Though more than 13,000 of Santorini’s 15,000 residents had to evacuate, no major damage has been reported on the Island. 

Measles Outbreak in Texas

As of Friday March 7, 198 cases of Measles have been documented in the state of Texas. On February 26, the first death from the disease was reported — of a student from Lubbock who was unvaccinated. Of the 146 cases, 17 were unvaccinated, and 116 were children. The Texas Department of State Health Services said that cases of the disease have also occurred in nine other counties throughout Texas. 

Maha Kumbh Mela 

The Maha Kumbh Mela, or the festival of the sacred pitcher, was celebrated from January 13 to February 26 in India. Over 620 million Hindu devotees bathed in sacred waters in the Triveni Sangam — the confluence of three holy rivers: the Ganges, Yamuna and the Saraswati — making the event the largest human gathering on Earth. Celebrated every 12 years, the holy cleanse in the river is believed to cleanse the soul of all impurities and sins. 

Food Recalls

Canned tuna sold at multiple major retailers have been contaminated with Clostridium botulinum. This bacteria can cause a rare but serious disease that attacks the body’s nerves. Distributed by Tri-Union seafoods, the contamination was caused by defective “easy-open” pull tabs. Additional botulism risk related food recalls include the March 3 AKT Trading Inc. recall of prepackaged vegetable products sold in California. 

President Donald Trump Decisions

On February 10, President Donald Trump signed an executive order making English the official US language — for the first time ever. New tariffs have also been imposed, including on imports from Canada, Mexico, and China, raising prices by up to 25%. Just two days after he imposed the tariffs, Trump signed executive orders suspending the tariffs. On February 25, Trump announced a $5 million USD “Gold Card” that will offer wealthy foreigners the right to live and work in the US, providing a path to citizenship. The announcement comes after 20,000 “illegal aliens” were arrested during Trump’s first month in office. Trump also proposed that the US “take over” Gaza and that displaced Palestinians be permanently relocated. 

Federal Staff Cuts

On February 13, the Trump Administration ordered all federal agencies to cut most probationary workers — workers that had not yet gained civil service protection. A memo sent by the White House on February 26 now turned its attention to officials with civil service protection. Government agencies were given until Thursday, March 13 to submit a plan for workforce reduction, and are required to implement the plans by September 30. Courts have sided both with and against the administration. In late February, a federal court sided with the Trump Administration in limiting the Associated Press’s access to the white house, but later the Supreme Court rejected Trump’s attempt to avoid paying USAID contractors.

Trump Administration Restricts White House Journalist Access

On February 25, the White House announced that the Trump Administration would begin determining the news outlets allowed access to the Oval Office and other meetings which can’t accommodate the full press corps. The decision comes after the White House limited the Associated Press’s access to the Oval Office, following AP’s refusal to change its style from the “Gulf of Mexico” to the “Gulf of America”. A statement from the White House justified the decision as “[holding] the Fake News accountable for their lies.” A federal judge rejected the AP’s request for a temporary restraining order, and a court hearing is set for Thursday, March 20. 

This article was accurate as of press time on March 11