EDITOR’S NOTE: The following is a synopsis of a recent topic trending in world or national news.
1. Pittsburgh Shooting Suspect Appears in Court
Last Saturday, Robert Bowers walked into the Tree of Life synagogue in the Squirrel Hill section of Pittsburgh and murdered 11 congregates of the church. Earlier this week, Bowers appeared in court for the first time since the incident. Bowers is facing 29 criminal charges against him, many of which carry the death penalty. Federal Authorities have made it clear that they will pursue that punishment to its fullest extent. Because Bowers was shot by police at the end of his attack, he appeared in court in a wheelchair. However, Bowers showed no clear signs of injury during the hearing.
-The New York Times
Oct. 29
2. Sarah Huckabee Sanders Scolds Bomb Threat Victims For Criticizing Trump
White House Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders has stated that President Donald Trump will continue to fight back against the claims of his political opponents after many were the targets of a potential bomb attack last week. Sanders brought light to the fact that President Trump has been the recipient of his own political ridicule, and that conservatives in the past have been violently attacked. Sanders also said that she believed President Trump’s continued attack on the media and “fake news” did not play a role in the attempted attacks.
-Huffington Post
Oct. 29
3. Pentagon: 5,000 Troops Will Be Deployed to US-Mexico Border
The Pentagon has announced that the United States military will send approximately 5,000 troops to its Mexican border to block a potential caravan of illegal immigrants. A Pentagon official told NPR that the number could be slightly larger or smaller, but the troops are being sent to help aid the Department of Homeland Security and Customs and Border Protection. The caravan of migrants is coming mainly from Central America towards the United States’ southern border. President Trump has been warning the caravan for weeks about coming to the United States, saying that the military will be there waiting for them if they do not turn back.
-National Public Radio
Oct. 29
4. Musk Assumes New Role at Tesla
Elon Musk has stepped into his new role as the “Nothing of Tesla.” This announcement came via Twitter, where Musk stated he has deleted his CEO position and all other positions he previously held at Tesla in favor of his new title. Musk then tweeted that he is legally required to assume the role of President of the car company, but plans to keep the title of nothing. Musk has since stated that everything seems to be running fine with Tesla after taking an absence from social media over the weekend.
-Inside EVs
Oct. 29
5. Brazil President-Elect to Give More Power to Military
After a victory in Brazil’s presidential election on Sunday, President-Elect Jair Bolsonaro will now focus his efforts on bringing military power back to the South American country. Bolsonaro used his victory speech mainly to take back statements from his past, promising to defend democracy and respect racial and sexual diversity. Bolsonaro also spoke about opening the country’s economy up to foreign investors. Bolsonaro puts a major emphasis on military and policing, a direct response to the over 64,000 people murdered in Brazil last year. According to a study conducted within the country, 56 percent of the nation trusts the military, while only 6 percent trust the federal government.
-The Wall Street Journal
Oct. 29