LOCAL
The Rhode Island Public Transportation Authority (RIPTA) will be receiving more than $5 million in federal grants through a Federal Transit Administration (FTA) program. The funds, totaling $5.6 million, will be awarded to the City of Pawtucket to support a new bus hub project on its border with Central Falls. The new station is expected to be completed by 2020.
Allie’s Donuts, a favorite among the University of Rhode Island community and in the rest of the state, is closed this week due to construction as of Monday, Sept. 12. The bakery, just a short drive away from the URI campus, has become a Rhode Island staple since its opening in 1968. Luckily for those who are anxious to get their donut fix, Allie’s Donuts plans to reopen this Friday, Sept. 16.
NATIONAL
In the past week, Democratic frontrunner Hillary Clinton’s health has become an increasingly prominent campaign issue for the former Secretary of State. Clinton and her opponent Donald Trump are 68 and 70 years of age respectively, so it is no wonder that their individual medical records and general well-being have become significant factors in the race. The most recent development came after Clinton became reportedly overheated after last Friday’s 9/11 memorial event. Hours later, a statement from Clinton’s doctor explained that the candidate had actually been diagnosed with pneumonia. These events lend legitimacy to previous concerns about Clinton’s health that had yet been unsubstantiated.
Wells Fargo, one of the largest financial institutions in the United States, was ordered by the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau to pay $185 million in fines following a scandal involving fraudulent accounts. Since 2011, employees at the bank opened over two million unauthorized accounts in the names of their clients in order to meet high sales quotas. These accounts included over 1.5 million checking and savings accounts and more than 500,000 credit cards. Often, customers were on the hook for charges and fees associated with these accounts that they were unaware even existed, totaling around $2 million. In the fallout from the scandal, more than 5,000 employees have already been fired.
GLOBAL
A tenuous moment of peace is underway in Syria as a formal truce between the Syrian Army and moderate Rebels went into effect on Sept. 11. The ceasefire has been a long time in the works, coming after months of negotiations between the United States and Russia. While the truce is in effect, it is intended to allow U.S. and Russian forces time to combat Jihadist insurgent groups, such as the Islamic State.
After stepping down from his position as the prime minister of Great Britain just a few months ago after the United Kingdom’s “Brexit” vote, David Cameron has resigned from Parliament altogether. Cameron had held the position since 2010, and had been a member of Parliament since 2001. Cameron claims that his primary intention is to allow the rest of the Conservative Party to carry on without his presence being a “distraction.”