Last night, Oracle fought till they saw the sunlight (and an accepted acquisition offer for the purchase of US TikTok).

Happening in the world: Part of Greenland’s ice shelf 79N (aka Nioghalvfjerdsfjorden), the largest remaining Arctic ice shelf, has broken off into the Arctic sea. Scientists point to the record summer temperatures of the last two summers—one of many consequences of the rapid climate change affecting Greenland—as catalysts for the break-off. Both this event and the position of 79N, scientists say, set it up as one of the most pivotal locations of Greenland’s deglaciation. (BBC)

Happening in the US: The Silicon Valley firm Oracle has been selected as TikTok’s US partner. The announcement came just hours after Microsoft announced that their bid to purchase the Chinese app had been rejected. With less than a week before the September 20 deadline given by President Drumpf’s executive order—after which, if not purchased by an American company, TikTok risks being banned from the US—much is still unclear about how the deal will actually proceed. New Chinese regulations preventing the transfer without permission from the Chinese government, which Microsoft claimed impeded their own bid, and other obstacles could complicate Oracle’s purchase in the coming weeks. (NYT)

Happening in NYC: In the debate over school reopenings, set for September 21st, a ventilation and workplace safety expert is expressing skepticism that New York City school buildings’ ventilation will be effective in preventing the spread of coronavirus, giving further ammunition for teachers against the return to physical classrooms. De Blasio and the Department of Education insist on all inspected buildings’ safety, but the expert contends that the standards the buildings have to reach are outdated and vague reports on exactly what ventilation techniques are in place suggest a return to the classroom will pose a serious threat to staff and students alike. (Gothamist)

Happening in our community: If you’re a Barnard student, you can register for critic Roxane Gay’s featured lecture in the new first-year course “Big Problems: Making Sense of 2020,” slated for this Wednesday, September 16, from 6:30 pm to 7:30 pm EST. While you don’t have to be a first-year, you do have to be a Barnard student, so pour one out for any interested Columbia students. Registration for her lecture is here (along with registration for the other featured speakers in the series!).

Image via Pixabay