Current Events (4/19 – 5/2)
Pope Francis dies at 88
Pope Francis, who began his tenure as Pope in 2013, has passed away at age 88. Francis died on April 21, the day after Easter. His funeral was held on the 26th, where he was buried in the Papal Basilica of Saint Mary Major. The Vatican has announced a Conclave will begin to choose the successor of Francis on May 7.
Information by Riley Pepin
Spain and Portugal suffer massive power outages
On April 28, power grids across Spain and Portugal failed, leaving over 50 million people without power for up to 18 hours in some places. Early Monday afternoon, a large power surge in Spain caused 15 gigawatts of electricity, about 60% of the country’s overall demand, to be lost, causing nearly the entire power grid to collapse across Spain and Portugal. The cause of this outage is currently unknown.
Information by Riley Pepin
New Kroger Supermarket opens on East Side
The East Athens Kroger Market opened its doors on April 30. Located at 2301 College Station Road, hundreds of Athens residents gathered for a ribbon cutting ceremony Wednesday morning. Athens Mayor Kelly Gritz, Commissioner Carol Myers (District 8) and the Kroger Atlanta Division President Victor Smith were present. In addition, the Cedar Shoals High School marching band played at the ceremony.
Information by Riley Pepin
Mike Waltz removed as National Security Advisor
Mike Waltz has been removed as the National Security Advisor for the Trump administration as of May 1. This move comes weeks after Waltz accidentally sent a Signal group chat with other government officials to a journalist, leading to controversy and calls for resignation. Donald Trump has said he will nominate Walz for a position as the U.S. Ambassador for the United Nations.
Information by Riley Pepin
U.S. and Ukraine sign rare earth minerals deal
The United States and Ukraine signed a deal on April 30 that allows for the U.S. to use natural resources from Ukraine in exchange for a reconstruction fund for the country. The deal mainly focuses on rare earth minerals but also includes oil and natural gasses. Previous versions of the deal were turned down or edited, with one version that was close to being signed thrown out after a tense conflict between Donald Trump and Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
Information by Riley Pepin
