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Unravelling Evergrande: the Chaotic Collapse of China’s Property Behemoth
On Jan. 29, the Hong Kong court ordered the liquidation of Evergrande Group, China's once-dominant real estate titan. With debts totaling over $300 billion USD, Evergrande's downfall has been years in the making — fueled by a combination of unregulated borrowing and stringent regulatory crackdowns on the real estate sector by the Chinese government.
ANALYSIS | The Story Behind the Boycotts of Major Brands
Consumers in Canada are engaging in boycotts of various businesses viewed as supporting Israel’s actions in the Gaza Strip. Boycotts have been a very popular method of people protesting against organizations they disagree with.
Texas Border Standoff
On Jan. 10, Texas authorities — in an attempt to tackle the current illegal migrant crisis in Texas — used gates and razor wire to block US Federal Border Patrol from accessing a 2.5 mile stretch in Eagle Pass known as Shelby Park. Eagle Pass, a Texas border city sitting on the US side of the Rio Grande river, has become a major corridor for illegal immigration in recent years.
ANALYSIS | What is South Africa’s Genocide Case Against Israel?
Almost two months after the beginning of the Israel-Hamas conflict, South Africa brought forth a case to the International Court of Justice (ICJ), accusing Israel of perpetrating genocide against Palestinians in Gaza.
2024 Grammy Nominations
On Feb. 4, 2024, the 66th Grammy Awards will be held at the Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles, with a host yet to be announced. The televised ceremony is airing live on CBS, and will be available for streaming on Paramount+.
RIP Omegle: The Demise of the Online Chat Service
The online video chat service Omegle was shut down on Nov. 9. This followed the settlement of a 2021 lawsuit regarding the sexual abuse of minors on the platform, which was originally created in 2009 by then 18-year-old Leif K-Brooks.
Safety Declaration Signed At First International AI Safety Summit
The United Kingdom government hosted the first international artificial intelligence safety summit in Bletchley Park on Nov. 1 and 2.
Europe’s New Digital Identity Wallet
On Nov. 8, the EU’s Internal Market Commissioner, Thierry Breton, announced a deal with Members of European Parliament (MEPs) for a European "digital identity wallet". According to Breton, this initiative promises every EU citizen “a secured e-identity for their lifetime”.
SEC Delaying Bitcoin ETF: Something Bigger at Play?
On Nov. 17, the United States Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) again delayed an application by the investment firm Franklin Templeton on the much-anticipated Bitcoin (BTC) exchange-traded fund (ETF).
After the WGA and SAG-AFTRA Strikes: Six Months of No Work
On May 2, the Writers’ Guild of America (WGA) strike began. On July 14, the Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA) joined the writers, leading to a combined strike that lasted until Nov. 9.
President Xi Meets with American Business Titans
On Nov. 15, Chinese President Xi Jinping visited the United States. His visit aimed to strengthen economic ties and ease geopolitical tensions between the two nations.
ANALYSIS | Box Office Underperformance May “Snap” Marvel Out of Existence
The Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) first debuted in 2008 with the release of Iron Man, and after 15 years and earning more than $28 billion at the global box office, the franchise appears to be sinking under its own weight.
New TV Shows and Movies Revealed as SAG-AFTRA Seals the Deal With Studios
On Nov. 9, the Screen Actors Guild — American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA) union reached an agreement with Hollywood studios regarding wages, residuals, and production safety. On the day that the strike ended, a great amount of announcements were made regarding new TV shows and movies.
The 10th Annual Game Awards
The Game Awards, an annual award ceremony celebrating the achievements of the best video games worldwide, streamed live on Dec. 7 this year. Winners were decided by a blend of an international voting jury of global media and influencer outlets and a public vote.
Friends Star Matthew Perry Dies at 54
On Oct. 28, 2023, actor Matthew Perry was found unconscious in his hot tub at his house in Los Angeles and was later pronounced dead.
India's Journey to the Moon
On Aug. 23, 2023, India became the fourth country in the world to land a spacecraft on the moon. Chandrayaan-3 — meaning “moon craft” in Sanskrit — took off from a launchpad on July 14, 2023 in Sriharikota, an island in southern India.
REVIEW | Olivia Rodrigo GUTS Album Review
On Sept. 8, Olivia Rodrigo released her brand new album, GUTS. In some of her songs this album, Rodrigo adopted a more upbeat, rock-inspired style — a stark contrast to many of the tracks in her previous album, SOUR.
REVIEW | Five Piano Pieces to Play When Relatives Come Over
Whatever your reasons for playing piano, we can all agree that all of us hate it when we are asked to play Für Elise. So, we’ve suggested a few pieces that are less likely to make you slam your head into the keys.
Venice Stays off World Heritage Danger List
Venice stayed off the United Nations Environmental, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO)’s World Heritage in Danger list during Sept. 14’s UN agency meeting.
Unity: A Divisive Decision
“I am sorry” is how Unity Create President Marc Whitten began an apology letter, just over a week after the company introduced their controversial payment structure update. Unity, the largest game development engine in the world, walked back much of their decision following immense outrage from the game development community.