Nevada middle school shooting leaves 2 dead

On Oct. 21 a student opened fire at a middle school in Sparks, Nevada. A staff member was killed while trying to protect the students, and the suspected gunman is also dead. It is still under investigation if the gunman died by committing suicide or not. Two other students were wounded but are in stable condition. The shooting started just before the morning bell at 7:15 a.m. Between 150 and 200 police officers, some traveling from as far as 60 miles away, responded to the shooting.  The motive of the shooting is also still unknown, and names of the victims are yet to be released.

Earthquake in Philippines kills over 100

On Oct. 15 a 7.1 magnitude earthquake struck the central Philippines. At least 144 people were killed, but it is  unknown what the official death count is. At least 291 people were injured and more than 20 people are missing. Many buildings were collapsed leaving people trapped in the rubble. The majority of the casualties were in Bohol province. According to the U.S. Geological Survey, the earthquake was 12 miles deep. It occurred on the Muslim holiday Eid al-Adha .

Thousands of calls received in response to Greece mystery girl

Greek authorities have been trying to determine the identity of four year-old Maria, and have received over 8,000 calls in response. The girl had been living with a family in Roma, but according to DNA testing, she wasn’t related to either of the parents and the birth certificates they had were forged. The girl was removed from the family and taken care of by the charity Smile of a Child, but since then Maria hasn’t said anything about her past or previous living conditions. The couple who Maria had been living with has been taken into custody and charged with abduction.

Two giant “sea serpents” found on southern California beach

In the past week, two giant snakelike oarfish have been found, one off the coast of the Catalina Island, and one on a California beach. The first oarfish was over 18 feet long, and the second one was a little over 14 feet.  The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration retrieved the second oarfish for study, and samples from the first oarfish were sent to the University of California. Oarfish can grow to over 50 feet in length, and are rarely seen near shore or in shallow waters.

State of emergency declared in Australia due to fires

At least 56 fires are burning across eastern Australia, and a state of emergency has been called. Hundreds of homes have been destroyed or damaged, and it is feared that the majority of the fires aren’t going to be contained any time soon. There has been at least one death, a 63 year-old man who died from a suspected heart attack on Oct. 18. More than 269,000 acres have been burned in total. The fires may soon prompt road closures. About 1,300 firefighters were called in to fight the fires. The previous winter had been very dry, and may be a major cause of the fires.