Don’t Think Twice, It’s All Right 
When we saw Bob Dylan’s name trending on Twitter, we assumed he had died. This is not the case. In fact, at the age of 75, singer-songwriter Bob Dylan has been awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature. For those who don’t know, this is a huge deal. Dylan is the first musician to ever win this award, and if you aren’t familiar with his music, you should start listening. Dylan is the first American to win this Nobel Prize since Toni Morrison, author of works such as “Song of Solomon” and “Beloved,” won in 1993. Thankfully, he is still alive to bless us with his music for years to come.

“Hot in Herre”
Nelly isn’t the only one saying, “It’s getting hot in here.” His sentiment is being echoed by climate change experts, who say that Earth is the hottest it’s been in 115,000 years due to climate change. They are saying that a massive extraction of carbon dioxide emissions is necessary if the world is to reach its goal set at the 2015 Paris Climate Change Conference. Reminder: the conference brought 195 countries together to adopt the first legally-binding climate agreement. While the government leaders were patting themselves on the back for addressing the issue with a conference, climate change experts are scoffing and saying that it isn’t enough. The necessary extraction of carbon dioxide emissions would cost hundreds of trillions of dollars, so let’s just say not everyone is happy about the idea.

We the Best? 
You know how everyone says that America is the best nation in the world? Well, if you’re a girl, this might not be the case. The U.S. is the 32nd best country to be a girl, according a new report by Save the Children. A huge factor to the country’s low ranking on the list of 144 countries is the lack of female representation in the government. In America, women make up about 20 percent of Congress, while in comparison, women make up 44 percent of Swedish parliament. In addition to a lack of congressional representation, the U.S. is plagued with high maternal mortality rates for its income group. 14 out of every 100,000 women die from childbirth in the U.S., as compared to countries like Finland or Poland that have a maternal mortality rate of 3 out of every 100,000. Keep it up America, you’re doing great.

The Final Countdown
With two presidential debates behind us, we are well on the way to November 8. 24 days to be exact. Current national polls are showing Hillary Clinton at least 7 points ahead of Donald Trump. It has been an uphill battle for Trump following the debates and various scandals, with many of the GOP’s key players revoking their support. However, it hasn’t been a walk in the park for Clinton either, as WikiLeaks just released another 1,150 emails from Clinton’s Campaign Chair, John Podesta. Clinton and Trump are now focusing their campaigning on battleground states leading up to the next debate. This debate moderated by Chris Wallace will be held Oct. 19 at the University of Nevada-Las Vegas. If this election has taught us anything, it’s that it’s still anyone’s game.

Hurricane Horror 
This past week, Hurricane Matthew ravaged some of the Caribbean islands and parts of Florida, Georgia and South Carolina. While the worst of the hurricane is over, affected communities are gearing into recovery mode. In Florida, citizens are not only dealing with clearing up damaged buildings and roads but are also facing many other challenges. Screwworms have made its way into the Florida Keys and are infecting animals, such as Key Deer. On top of this, the hurricane literally made a physical impact by carving an inlet into the northeast Florida coastline, which can be seen in aerial before and after pictures. As you can see, this hurricane has had a devastating impact, so, if you’d like to donate to relief efforts (with your parent’s permission), click here.

Sincerely, the University of Chicago 
Students who plan to attend the University of Chicago should mentally prepare themselves for four years of controversy and discomfort. In a recent letter to incoming freshman, the school’s dean warned that they do not support trigger warnings, safe spaces or the cancellation of controversial speakers. The school states that “fostering the free exchange of ideas” is a priority to the University, a priority that cannot be reinforced with the existence of spaces on campus that prevent students from facing differing opinions. The letter has caused (surprise) controversy. A large portion of the population is saying that the public stance is refreshing, but critics say that the University of Chicago is fighting the wrong battle. Don’t say goodbye to this letter just yet because this is only the beginning of a national debate on safe spaces, trigger warnings, and what they mean for students.

The Infamous Trump Tapes
A growing number of Republican leaders are renouncing their support of Trump after a recording of a 2005 conversation between the Today Show’s Billy Bush and presidential hopeful Trump was released. In the conversation, Trump used vulgar language to explain how he uses his star status to kiss and grope women without their consent and how he failed to seduce a married woman. Billy Bush was suspended from the Today Show following release of the tape, and an NBC News-Wall Street Journal survey following the tape’s release showed a significant decrease in support of Trump. Speaker of the House Paul Ryan is even distancing himself, saying that he will no longer campaign with Trump. Trump has since apologized, saying that the tape is “just words” and his conversation was “locker-room talk.” He said that “no one has more respect for women than he does,” but we can think of a few.

Kaep’s Back 
You’re probably tired of hearing about him, but most of the nation isn’t. After weeks of being in the headlines for kneeling during the National Anthem, Colin Kaepernick will make headlines that actually relate to football. Kaepernick will make his first start of the season for the San Francisco 49ers in their upcoming game against the Buffalo Bills. Earlier this week, head coach Chip Kelly announced that Kaepernick would start ahead of the current starting quarterback, Blaine Gabbert, after a disappointing 1-4 start to the season. The 49ers coaching staff believes that the only way to transform and possibly improve the office is to switch out QBs. This just goes to show that you can stand up for what you believe in, as controversial as it may be, and still be successful in the end.

Into the Tank
Sisters Mallory Iyana and Madison Star have recently taken a swim with the sharks. That is, the sharks of the ever popular show “Shark Tank.” The girls’ company Angels & Tomboys has set out to deliver natural, vegan body lotions and body sprays since its foundation in 2014. The girls created their company after noticing that their mom’s perfume felt too old for them. They have since set out to create a brand of beauty products specifically for tweens and teens. The sisters were chosen out of 45,000 candidates also hoping to get an investment from one of the billionaire sharks. Find out their fate on their episode of “Shark Tank,” which airs tonight at 8:00 P.M.

Pop Culture Announcement 

Rumor has it that Rihanna and Drake broke up because Drake was seen with a reality star named India Love. Although we all need a moment of silence to mourn the relationship, we’re looking forward to the music that will be inspired by this breakup.