Although March feels like last week, April is already over! While the warm weather has begun to bring positive changes to nature, such as the blooming of Chapel Avenue’s cherry blossoms, not all of the world is currently experiencing sunshine and rainbows. For many, the news can be tough to follow or to find the time and the mental strength for. This article covers and simplifies some important headliner stories in April you may have missed. Let’s take a look at some of the most notable current events globally.
- Earthquakes
Photo source: WFMY News
a. On April 3, Taiwan suffered an earthquake with a magnitude of 7.4, resulting in 13 casualties and over 1,100 injuries, according to CNN. This was the largest earthquake it had faced in over 25 years. It also put the Japanese Air Force on high alert, as earthquakes can be predecessors to tsunamis. This led to a traffic jam on a two-lane road in Okinawa, Japan, where their air force jets evacuated to higher ground, which took up “more than an eighth of a mile of road,” according to CNN.
b. The United States East Coast also experienced an earthquake that week. On April 5, a 4.8 magnitude earthquake shook New York City. despite the relatively low magnitude (according to the Richter scale), the tremor could be felt over 404 miles of the Northeast. The Associated Press wrote, “People from Baltimore to Boston and beyond felt the ground shake”.
c. However, the tectonic plate shifts don’t stop there. On April 15, Papua New Guinea experienced an earthquake with a 6.5 magnitude and 42-mile depth, according to ABC News. As of April 15, there has not been a tsunami alert issued. More information will be provided as it becomes available.
2. O.J. Simpson’s death
Photo via: ABC7 News
a. O.J. Simpson, a man known for the most notorious criminal trial, died on April 10, 2024 from prostate cancer complications. The former NFL and college football star was accused on June 17, 1994 of the murder of his ex-wife, Nicole Brown Simpson, and her friend Ronald Goldman, according to Britannica. His attempted escape from the police following these allegations was televised on national television, with over 90 million viewers, according to the Associated Press. His trial began on January 24, 1995, where Simpson and his “Dream Team” of attorneys argued his innocence. He was acquitted on October 3, 1995, but lost the 1997 civil court case, which demanded he pay $33 million to the families of Brown Simpson and Goldman due to willful and wrongful death charges, according to The New York Times. His criminal case verdict was met with controversy, but the Black American community largely considered it a victory in a discriminatory system, according to Britannica. Simpson’s family asks for privacy during this time.
3.Israel vs. Gaza
Photo via ABC News
a.The war between Israel and Palestine is ongoing but hit its six-month mark in April 2024. As of April 2024, the death toll for Israelis is 1,139, with over 8,700 injuries, according to Al Jazeera. In Gaza, there are currently over 34,262 Palestinian deaths, according to Al Jazeera. The Palestinian injury toll is also currently over 8,000. Many are still calling for a ceasefire between the nations, but neither one seems to have plans to do such at the moment.
4. Solar Eclipse
Photo via NASA
a. On April 8, 2024, parts of North America experienced a total solar eclipse. Areas of Arkansas, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Maine, Missouri, New Hampshire, New York, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Texas, and Vermont were in the path of totality, meaning they experienced a night-like blip during the day, where the sun when behind the moon for a few minutes. This is a common occurrence, as CBS states, “Total solar eclipses happen every one to three years, but the events are usually only visible from Earth’s poles or from the middle of the ocean.” April 8, 2024 will be the last solar eclipse visible in North America until August 2044. While not in the path of totality, New Jersey got a good view of the eclipse as well. For example, on NASA’s interactive map, it states that Philadelphia had almost 90% coverage of the sun. Both Disney+ and Max (formerly HBO) streamed live coverage of the phenomenon.