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Met Gala Theme Announced
The Met Gala, formally called the costume institute benefit, is the annual fundraising festival held for the benefit of the Metropolitan Museum. Taking place on May 15, the 2025 Met Gala theme is “Superfine tailoring black style.” According to Vogue, this style and theme is set to be an expression of dandyism, “a style movement that started in 19th-century Britain and encouraged opulence, elegance and good taste in men’s fashion,” as described by Cosmopolitan. This year’s show is also inspired by the work of Monica Miller, a professor and chair of Africana studies at Barnard college, and her book, Slaves to Fashion: Black Dandyism and the Styling of Black Diasporic Identity. The dress code for the event is “tailored for you” as a nod to the accompanying art exhibitions at the Met which focus on menswear and suiting.
HMPV Virus Sweeps Across China
Late last year, Chinese authorities reported an increase in children under 14 years old testing positive for human metapneumovirus (HMPV), a respiratory disease with cold or flu-like symptoms. Soon after, videos began appearing on Chinese social media, depicting long lines of patients in Chinese hospitals with over-filled waiting rooms. With 5 years having passed since the COVID-19 pandemic caused a global shutdown and killed over seven million, this raised widespread concern.
The Deal Is On: Ceasefire In Gaza
After 15 months of war and eight months of negotiations, a three-phase permanent ceasefire deal between Israel and Gaza went into effect on Jan. 19. The ceasefire deal contains 42 days in each of its three phases. In the first phase, Hamas is to release 33 Israeli hostages, which it captured in an Oct. 7, 2023 incursion into Israel. Israel is due to release 1,904 Palestinian prisoners that it captured in the last several years, most abducted due to political activism or alleged involvement with Hamas.
POPE FRANCIS FACING HEALTH CRISIS
On Feb. 14, 88-year-old Pope Francis was admitted to Rome’s Gemelli Hospital to undergo testing and treatment after suffering through a weeklong bout of bronchitis. Then, after a full week of treatment, on Feb. 22, the Vatican revealed in a statement that Pope Francis had undergone an "asthma-like respiratory crisis" and required supplemental oxygen. Furthermore, his blood tests revealed that he had thrombocytopenia — a condition caused by a low number of platelets in the blood — which needed to be treated with a blood transfusion.
Joe Biden’s Presidency: A Reign of Promise and Action
When US President Joe Biden first took office in January 2021, he immediately began implementing new policies aimed at tackling some of the country’s biggest concerns, including COVID-19, diversity and equity, and the environment.
SpaceX’s Latest Starship Explodes Mid Flight
SpaceX, a private aerospace company owned by Elon Musk, launched its uncrewed Starship rocket on Jan. 16. In their seventh test flight, the ship was meant to fly across the Gulf of Mexico from Texas — almost a full loop around the world. However, the flight only lasted eight and a half minutes before the upper half of the rocket exploded over the Turks and Caicos islands.
Drake Files Federal Defamation Lawsuit Against UMG Over “Not Like Us”
After Kendrick Lamar released “Not Like Us”, a diss track directed at Canadian rapper Drake on May 4, Drake responded by filing a defamation lawsuit against Universal Music Group (UMG), which represents both musicians. The suit was filed eight months after the song’s release and alleged that the song contained false information about Drake.
LA Fires Burn Over 40,000 Acres
Multiple wildfires ravaging Los Angeles County have left several people dead and burned down thousands of structures. How did the fires start? While the sources of the fires remain under investigation, the conditions in California were perfect for a fire. A long, hot summer had completely dried out the desert brush, and without rain for the better part of a month, the whole area was practically kindling for the fires. Steady Santa Ana winds also fed the fires. The only fire with an alleged source is the Eaton fire, as video evidence of an electrical line shorting was released on Jan. 26.
Kendrick Lamar Highlights African American Culture At Super Bowl Halftime Performance
On Feb. 9, the Kansas City Chiefs faced off against the Philadelphia Eagles at the NFL Super Bowl. This year, the halftime show featured American rapper and 22-time Grammy winner Kendrick Lamar. The performance drew 133 million viewers, making it the most-watched halftime show in history. Lamar took a symbolic approach to the halftime show. Actor Samuel Jackson appeared on stage dressed as Uncle Sam, a figure that represents the American government. Jackson began the show by saying, “This is the great American game,” which was the kickoff for the performance.
Found Guilty On 34 Counts, President Trump Receives An Unconditional Discharge
US President Donald Trump received an “unconditional discharge” for his criminal trial on Jan. 10, making him the first convicted felon to serve as president. This sentence spares Trump of any legal retribution, aside from a mark on his criminal record. Trump’s sentence stems from a decision in May 2024 by a New York jury that found the president guilty of 34 felony counts of fabricating business records. During the 2016 election, these records were corrupted to conceal a hush-money payment to an adult film star, Stormy Daniels.
Trump Blames DEI Initiatives For DC Plane Crash
On Jan. 29, a US Army Black Hawk helicopter collided with a commercial jet, killing all 64 passengers aboard the flight and the three US soldiers aboard the helicopter. American Airlines flight 5342 was travelling from Wichita, Kansas, and struck the helicopter on its final descent to Washington’s Reagan National Airport. The wreckage of both aircrafts was found in the Potomac River, where first responders rushed to the scene, but were unsuccessful in finding any survivors.
Global CO2 Emissions Expected To Hit Record High In 2024
The world's largest climate summit, COP29, concluded in Azerbaijan on Nov. 24. Nearly 200 countries and 70 thousand participants gathered to discuss climate change policy, with a focus on finance. This conference called on all regions to work toward enabling a record total of $1.3 trillion in yearly financial aid for developing countries by 2035, which will be directed toward reducing carbon footprints and transitioning to low-carbon pathways.
Record-Breaking Penguin Swims To Australia
An emperor penguin was found on a western beach in Denmark, Australia on Nov. 1. This location is much further north than the species is usually spotted, as penguins are typically only found in the Southern Hemisphere on Antarctica or sub-Antarctic islands. After being rehabilitated, the penguin was released by Australian Wildlife officials 20 days later.
67th Annual Grammy Nominations Released
Nominees for the 67th Grammy Awards were announced on Nov. 28, ahead of the upcoming Feb. 2 awards ceremony. The Beatles received their first nomination in decades. Taylor Swift clinched her seventh Album of the Year nomination, after becoming the first-ever artist to win the award four times. Billie Eilish, Charli XCX, and Kendrick Lamar all received seven nominations each.
Australia Moves Forward With Social Media Ban
In late November, Australia's lower house of parliament moved to pass a bill banning social media for youth under 16. The punishment and responsibility to uphold the law would be placed entirely upon the apps, not the teenage users.
ANALYSIS | Sabrina Carpenter’s Big Break
In 2023, many had never heard of the soon-to-be pop icon Sabrina Carpenter, but with her hit single “Espresso”, Carpenter skyrocketed up the charts and soon millions knew her name. Carpenter has had a thrilling year. Her viral song “Espresso”, which was released on Apr. 11, reached number one on the charts in the US and UK. “Espresso” is the fastest song to exceed a billion streams in Spotify history, reaching 1.2 billion streams in 146 days, according to the World Music Awards.
Violence Follows Europa League Match Amid Israel-Hamas Conflict
On Nov. 7, a Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) Europa League match between Maccabi–Tel Aviv and Ajax took place at Amsterdam’s Johan Cruyff stadium. At the same time, tensions were rising in Amsterdam, in light of the ongoing Israel–Hamas war, and the city was experiencing an uprising in related protests and violence.
DOJ Discovers Iranian Plot To Kill President-Elect Donald Trump
On Nov. 8, the US Department of Justice (DOJ) announced charges in connection to a thwarted Iranian assassination attempt against president-elect Donald Trump before the election, and revealed other “murder-for-hire” schemes targeting US citizens.
Paul vs. Tyson: The Fight Of The Year
Jake Paul challenged 58-year-old former champion Mike Tyson to a boxing match, and Tyson accepted the challenge as his first unsanctioned fight since 2005. Though it was originally scheduled for Jul. 20, the match was postponed in May, when Tyson required medical attention during a flight from Miami to Los Angeles for an ulcer flare-up. It was instead held on Nov. 15.
Is It Time To Stop “Falling Back” And “Springing Forward”?
For more than a century, many countries around the world, including Canada, have adjusted their clocks twice a year to accommodate for Daylight Saving Time (DST). In the US, most states observe DST, moving clocks forward one hour in the spring and back one hour in the fall. However, Arizona and Hawaii have opted out, as have US territories like Puerto Rico and Guam. Globally, about 70 countries still observe DST, but many — including Japan, India, and China — don’t bother with the switch at all.