Mexico

Over 116 people have died in a magnitude 7.1 earthquake affecting Mexcio City and nearby states, as of Sept. 19. 3.8 million central Mexico residents have experienced a disruption in electricity services, and public schools have been closed in Puebla, Mexico City and Guerrero until further notice. The quake occurred on an anniversary of another Mexico City earthquake with a death toll of thousands, following a destructive earthquake in Chiapas recently.

India

India and Japan recently launched work on a “bullet train” line in the Indian state of Gujarat. The line extends between two major Indian cities, Ahmadabad and Mumbai, and is expected to be complete in 2022. The Indian government is financing the project with a $17 billion loan from the Japanese government. The project is federally advertised as creating new jobs, boosting infrastructure growth and aiding general economic health.

United States

A NASA robotic spacecraft burned in Saturn’s atmosphere after 13 years of operation last Friday, Sept. 15. The Cassini-Huygens probe is considered one of NASA’s greatest successes, providing new information about the outer solar system and its potential for supporting life. Several research teams are actively working on sending similar projects to Saturn. “We’ve got to go back—we know it,” said Cassini project manager Earl Maize, according to Scientific American.

Dominica

90 percent of buildings on Dominica have been destroyed due to the impacts of recent hurricanes, according to The Guardian. Following the landfall of Hurricane Maria, a Category 5 storm at the time, at least six people have been killed. Road blockages have occurred because of landslides, power lines are down and neighboring twin islands Trinidad and Tobago are mobilizing relief efforts for the nation. Puerto Rico has also suffered with effects from Maria.

United States

On Sept. 19, President Trump delivered his first speech to the United Nations. Part of the speech highlighted a vision for a better world filled with sovereign states. However, the speech included threats to North Korea and criticized a “small group of rogue regimes.” World leaders had mixed reactions, with criticism from government officials in Sweden, Iran, France and more. Israeli president Netanyahu has notably supported Trump’s statement.