Domestic 

Former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin begins his trial this week for the accused murder of George Floyd. He faces charges of second-degree murder, third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter for the infamous incident that took place this past summer. A bystander filmed the encounter, revealing that Chauvin kneeled on Floyd’s neck for approximately nine minutes as Floyd called out “I can’t breathe.” One of the highest-profile cases of the decade, this trial has captivated the attention of the American citizenry like none in recent history.

U.S. President Joe Biden calls for state leaders and other public officials to hold off on easing mask mandates in their respective regions. This request comes after fear of a possible fourth wave of COVID-19 has begun to sweep the United States. 

International 

The container ship that blocked the Suez Canal has finally been freed this week. The incident blocked nearly $9.6 billion worth of goods being hauled by roughly 300 cargo ships each day. Many experts say that this accident has proven the fragility of the global shipping industries and hope that this experience will serve as a lesson for the future. 

Authorities in the Galapagos Islands confiscated a suitcase filled with 185 baby tortoises wrapped in plastic. The species of tortoise are only found in the Galapagos Island, with the World Wildlife Fund listing them as vulnerable. The Galapagos Conservancy approximates that only 20,000-25,000 wild tortoises can be found on the island now.