Newsbytes: Earthquake, Ryan Lochte, Syrian Ceasefire, Goats at Harvard

By Staff Writers Ansh Patel & Deeksha Raina

Local — Quake shakes up the bay
A 3.5 magnitude earthquake hit the Bay Area September 13 at 12:40 a.m., centered slightly east of central Oakland, but felt around the region. The Oakland Police Department revealed that they have not received reports of lost or damaged items related to the tremor. However, the earthquake sparks concern from seismologists who find that this earthquake is a reminder of what is to come. Scientists believe that there is a 98 percent chance that the Bay Area will experience a 6.0 magnitude earthquake in the next 30 years.

National — Ryan Lochte heckled on TV
During a Dancing with the Stars live showing on Monday, September 12, several protestors who had been audience members rushed onto the stage during judge Carrie Ann Inaba’s critique of Ryan Lochte and his partner, Cheryl Burke. The protesters wore shirts that read “Lochte” with a line through the name. Others chanted “liar” from the stands, and security was called out to control the situation before anyone got hurt. The outburst was later revealed to be a response to Lochte’s violent incident at a Brazilian gas station during the Olympics over the summer.

International — Syrian ceasefire off to a rocky start
A ceasefire in Syria, brokered by the US and Russia, began on September 12 amid doubts and skepticism. The ceasefire put a temporary halt to fighting between the rebels and the Syrian regime and allowed humanitarian groups to access cities in need of help. However, Syrian President Bashar al-Assad said, just a few hours before the ceasefire began, that Syria would retake all land from the rebel groups, drawing ire from the rebel groups. A few groups even said they would not agree to the ceasefire. As reported to CNN, US Secretary of State John Kerry said of the uneasy ceasefire, “Sure, this is less than perfect. But flawed compared to what? Compared to nothing?”

Quirky — Harvard uses goats for weed control
Harvard University brought in four goats to eat away weeds and other unnecessary vegetation in Harvard’s Arnold Arboretum, located in Boston. The goats are kept in a small, movable enclosure so that they can work on a single section of the arboretum at a time. Officials say that so far the goat control method has been more effective than chemical control, as well as friendlier to the environment. If these goats continue to be successful, the program will be expanded and more goats will be brought in for vegetation control.

Photos Courtesy SF Gate, US Magazine, Reuters, & Boston Globe