Tuesday, December 31

We apologize that this article was published late due to a scheduling issue.

Tonight, 2024 is coming to an end! We have published a special article today with the highlights of this year's news! Enjoy!

Here's our 2024 News in Review.

January:

• Dozens of people were killed after a major earthquake struck Japan.

• Boeing's bestselling 737 Max plane was grounded by the FAA after a plug door blew out on an Alaska Airlines flight during a flight in the Pacific Northwest.

• A massive landslide struck the Colombian region of Chocó, killing dozens of people.

• The Icelandic town of Grindavík was evacuated after lava reached the town during the eruption of the Fagradalsfjall volcano.

• Several winter storms struck the United States, killing 40 people and wreaking havoc with blizzard conditions and strong winds across the country.

• The death toll of the Israel-Hamas War passed 25,000.

• India celebrated the opening of the city of Ayodhya's new Sri Ram Janmabhoomi Mandir.

• A large earthquake struck northwestern China, killing three people.

• Royal Caribbean's new cruise ship, Icon of the Seas, set sail on its inaugural journey from Cape Canaveral, Florida.

• Pakistan sentenced their former prime minister, Imran Khan, to 10 years in prison.

February:

• The CEOs of major social media companies were called to a hearing at the United States Capitol  due to suspected exploitation of children and their information.

• Hundreds of wildfires ravaged Chile, killing over 130 citizens.

• Coca-Cola announced the arrival of Coca-Cola Spiced in the United States and Canada.

• Iceland's Fagradalsfjall volcano near the town of Grindavík erupted for the third time, setting the record for the fastest-moving lava ever.

• The Kansas City Chiefs took home their second Super Bowl win in a row after defeating the San Francisco 49ers at Las Vegas' Allegiant Stadium.

• A massive oil spill off the coast of Trinidad and Tobago caused an environmental disaster, turning Tobago beaches black.

• Israel bombed and raided Gaza's largest hospital after receiving information that Hamas was operating out of the building.

• The first US spacecraft since 1972 made a successful moon landing, allowing them to join China, India, and Japan as the only countries to do so in the 21st century.

• Hungary approved Sweden's bid to join NATO, guaranteeing them a spot in the strengthening organization of western powers.

March:

• Over one million acres were burned by a dangerous Texas wildfire, making it the largest fire in state history.

• The United States managed to airdrop aid into Gaza for the first time.

• 3,600 prisoners escaped from Haiti's largest jail, wreaking havoc across the country.

• The World Cholera Vaccine Stockpile began running dry, spelling doom for African countries that have been plagued with cholera for years.

• Oppenheimer took home many of the largest awards at the 2024 Oscars.

• The first round of aid by sea was delivered to Gaza.

• IQAir's top 100 most polluted cities list was released, and 83 of the top 100 cities were located in one country: India.

• The Dirty Dozen and Clean Fifteen foods lists were released, giving consumers insight into which foods they should be careful about buying at the grocery store based on the amount of pesticides in them.

• The Global Happiness Report was released, with Finland topping the list once again.

• Thousands of people were left homeless after extreme gang violence in Haiti following the prison break earlier in the month.

• 133 people were killed and hundreds of others were injured after a shooting at a Moscow concert hall.

• Baltimore's Francis Scott Key Bridge collapsed after a large cargo ship smashed into one of its support piers.

• 45 people were killed after a bus plummeted into a ravine in South Africa.

April:

• A massive earthquake struck Taiwan, killing nine people and damaging important infrastructure.

• Thousands of people were evacuated after a dam broke in Russia's Ural Mountains.

• A rare total solar eclipse crossed the United States-- the last total eclipse in North America until 2044.

• Kyiv's largest power plant was destroyed after a series of intense Russian attacks.

• Scottie Scheffler won the Masters, a prestigious golf tournament, in Augusta, Georgia with an 11 under par.

• Dozens of people were killed and cities were sent into chaos after heavy rain hit the Middle East, an area unprepared for storms due to its location in a desert.

• A 400-year-old Danish stock exchange was destroyed in a devastating fire.

• 800 people were evacuated after a stratovolcano eruption in Indonesia.

• Heavy rain struck Pakistan and Afghanistan, killing over 135 people.

• NASA finally managed to regain communication capabilities with Voyager 1, one of their five deep space modules currently outside the solar system.

• The United States Congress passed a major bill that would effectively ban TikTok within nine months if the company is not sold, among other things.

• Pro-Palestinian protests in US colleges increased significantly, sparking controversy over the handling of the demonstrations.

May:

• Extreme rain and serious flooding in East Africa killed hundreds of people.

• The United Arab Emirates was flooded again after additional heavy rain following the previous month's surprise weather event.

• Brazil was flooded with rain as well, killing dozens.

• Dozens of people were killed in a China highway collapse after heavy rains.

• A massive solar storm struck the Earth, sending the aurora borealis much farther south than usual.

• Switzerland's singer Nemo won the prestigious Eurovision competition, making Switzerland a three-time winner.

• Hundreds of people were killed in serious flooding in Afghanistan.

• Several people were killed after a billboard collapsed in Mumbai, India.

• The Prime Minister of Slovakia survived despite being shot multiple times in an assassination attempt.

• Iran's President and Foreign Minister were killed in a helicopter crash.

• The International Court of Justice ruled that Israel's invasion of Rafah was unlawful and demanded them to stop their offensive and return the land.

• At least 670 people were killed in a major landslide in Papua New Guinea.

• Severe weather struck the United States, bringing dangerous tornadoes.

• Cyclone Remal wreaked havoc across India and Bangladesh with strong winds and heavy rain.

• A heatwave hit India, bringing record-breaking temperatures to much of the northern part of the country.

June:

• US President Donald Trump was convicted on 34 counts in his hush money trial, making him the first-ever former president to be convicted of a felony.

• Mexico elected their first-ever female president.

• Boeing launched their crewed Starliner spacecraft on their third attempt.

• Carlos Alcaraz took home the 2024 Men's French Open title while Iga Swiatek won the Women's French Open.

• Apple announced new features at their annual WWDC conference, including the arrival of Apple Intelligence.

• Torrential rains slammed the state of Florida, bringing over two feet of rain.

• Wildfires raged across California, burning thousands of acres.

• Dozens of people were killed after deadly alcohol poisoning in South India following the spread of illegal alcohol in the area.

• Protests erupted across Kenya after the government proposed a tax raise.

• A major earthquake struck Peru, killing nine people and damaging infrastructure.

• India defeated South Africa in the ICC T20 World Cup Final.

July:

• The first US presidential debate took place between Donald Trump and Joe Biden.

• 116 people were killed after a massive stampede at a religious event in northern India.

• Hurricane Beryl raged across the Caribbean, striking the Windward Islands, Jamaica, the Cayman Islands, and Mexico's Yucatán Peninsula before making landfall in Texas and pounding the United States.

• UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and his conservative government were defeated by Keir Starmer's Labour Party during the elections.

• French President Emmanuel Macron was surprised when the snap elections he called resulted in his party losing the majority in the French Parliament.

• Former President Donald Trump was shot in the ear at a rally in Pennsylvania.

• Carlos Alcaraz defeated Novak Djokovic in a dramatic Wimbledon final.

• Dozens were killed in Bangladesh amid violent protests against the government's job quota system.

• Chaos ensued after a worldwide Windows IT outage following a faulty update from security company Crowdstrike.

• US President Joe Biden dropped out of the presidential race, allowing Kamala Harris to take over as their leading candidate.

• 229 people were killed after a massive landslide struck Ethiopia.

• Typhoon Gaemi battered the Philippines and Taiwan, killing several people.

• Protests erupted across Venezuela after the country's elections due to beliefs that it was heavily biased.

August:

• Hamas' top political chief, Ismail Haniyeh, was killed in an Israel airstrike on his house.

• Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich was released from Russian captivity after a major prisoner exchange involving multiple countries.

• Hurricane Debby made landfall in Florida and moved north, delivering heavy rain and dangerous flooding to Georgia, North Carolina, and South Carolina.

• Another major earthquake struck Japan, injuring nine people.

• 61 people were killed in a devastating plane crash in Brazil.

• A raging wildfire in Greece scorched dangerously close to the capital city of Athens, destroying dozens of structures.

• Ukrainian forces invaded Russia's Kursk region, allowing them to gain over 386 square miles of Russian territory.

• Typhoon Ampil slammed Tokyo with strong winds and heavy rain.

• Hurricane Ernesto battered Puerto Rico and Bermuda before moving north to Canada.

• A yacht carrying several passengers, including British tech billionaire Mike Lynch, sank in the Mediterranean Sea.

• Concerns began rising over a global monkeypox outbreak that began in Africa.

• Hurricane Hone struck Hawaii with strong winds and heavy rain.

• Boeing announced that astronauts Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore would stay on the International Space Station until 2025 after issues with their Starliner spacecraft.

• Japan was pummeled by Typhoon Shanshan's heavy rain and 85-mph winds.

September:

• Brazil banned X as a part of their crackdown on online misinformation.

• The CEO of social media network Telegram was arrested in France on several different charges.

• Four students were killed in a deadly mass shooting at Georgia's Apalachee High School.

• Super Typhoon Yagi slammed southwestern China and Vietnam, bringing raging winds and pouring rain.

• Italy's Jannik Sinner won the US Open, defeating the United States' Taylor Fritz to take the win.

• Wildfires raged across the western United States again, burning hundreds of thousands of acres of land.

• Hurricane Francine made landfall in Louisiana with winds of over 100 mph and heavy rain.

• The world's first civilian spacewalk was conducted as part of SpaceX's Polaris Dawn mission.

• Former President Donald Trump was targeted in another assassination attempt on the golf course at his Mar-a-Lago residence in Florida.

• The heaviest rain in over 100 years hit parts of Europe, killing dozens of people with dangerous flooding.

• Hundreds of people were killed after an elaborate Israeli scheme against Hezbollah led to the explosions of pagers across Lebanon.

• Hurricane Helene made landfall in Florida with winds of over 140 mph and heavy rain before moving north, devastating the entire Deep South.

• Hezbollah leader Hassan Nazrallah was killed in an Israeli airstrike.

• Over 150 people were killed after days of torrential rain struck Nepal, dropping over a foot of rain in some areas.

October:

• The United States Vice Presidential Debate took place, with Democratic nominee Tim Walz facing off against the Republicans' J.D. Vance.

• Iran fired hundreds of missiles at Israel in a massive attack that further escalated the conflict in the Middle East.

• Brazil lifted their ban on X after the social media company finally complied with their demands.

• Hurricane Milton made landfall in Florida with strong winds and heavy rain.

• Parts of the Sahara Desert received a year's worth of rain in two days, flooding towns.

• SpaceX caught a returning rocket in midair with two mechanical arms in a revolutionary accomplishment.

• Hamas chief Yahya Sinwar was killed by Israel, though he was accidentally killed in battle.

• The entire island of Cuba lost power after a major power plant near the capital of Havana ran out of fuel.

• Cyclone Dana made landfall in eastern India with winds of around 75 mph and heavy rain.

• Tropical Storm Trami crossed the Philippines, killing over 125 people and flooding towns, streets, and buildings.

• Israel decided to halt all operations of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) within their country.

• North Korea sent over 10,000 troops to their close ally, Russia, to help their fight against Ukraine.

• Torrential rain pounded the Spanish city of Valencia, killing hundreds of people and submerging entire towns.

November:

• Typhoon Kong-rey battered Taiwan with strong winds and heavy rain.

• Indonesia's Mount Lewotobi Laki-Laki erupted in a massive smoke cloud, blanketing the entire area around it in ash.

• Polio vaccines finally arrived in Gaza, allowing children in a grief-stricken area to receive some of the care they need.

• Donald Trump won the United States presidential election, defeating Democratic opponent Kamala Harris in a landslide.

• Hurricane Rafael slammed Cuba as a Category 3 storm, battering the island country with strong winds and heavy rain.

• Cuba was hit by two strong earthquakes, shaking the entire Caribbean.

• Toxic smog engulfed India and Pakistan, bringing air quality levels over triple as much as the threshold for hazardous air.

• Toxic-Free Future released their annual report on how the top 50 retailers are working to eliminate dangerous chemicals from their products.

• Typhoon Man-Yi pummeled the Philippines with heavy rain and strong winds.

• Low-cost carrier Spirit Airlines filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy.

• Two fiber-optic cables were damaged in the Baltic Sea, and the European Union is attributing the incidents to a Chinese ship being instructed by Russia.

• The International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former defense minister Yoav Gallant due to their conduct in the Israel-Hamas War.

• World leaders agreed on a landmark new climate deal at COP29, with wealthy countries pledging to provide at least $300 billion a year by 2035 to help developing countries deal with the effects of climate change.

• Israel and Hezbollah finally agreed on a ceasefire deal, ending their 13-month-long conflict.

• Syrian rebel groups began a major offensive into the city of Aleppo.

December:

• Violent protests broke out across the country of Georgia after the government backed out of their efforts to join the European Union.

• US President Joe Biden pardoned his son, Hunter Biden, of all of his charges, including tax evasion and illegal possession of a gun.

• South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol declared martial law due to suspicions that his opposition was conspiring with North Korea, sparking outrage among the people and later leading to his impeachment.

• The CEO of American health insurance company UnitedHealthcare was shot in Manhattan, sparking a manhunt to find the gunman. After an extensive investigation by the FBI and NYPD, he was found at a fast food restaurant in Pennsylvania.

• A major earthquake struck California, increasing fears that "The Big One" could be on the way.

• Syrian dictator Bashar al-Assad fled the country, allowing the rebels to take over the country and putting an end to Syria's 13-year civil war.

• Paris' Notre Dame cathedral reopened five years after a fire devastated the building in 2019.

• President Emmanuel Macron named François Bayrou as the France's next prime minister, hoping to restore unity to the country.

• Cyclone Chido battered the French island of Mayotte, killing hundreds of people.

• Germany experienced a no-confidence vote, ousting Chancellor Olaf Scholz.

• Several people were killed after an earthquake struck the island nation of Vanuatu.

• The United States government managed to pass a stopgap funding bill in the nick of time, preventing a government shutdown.

• Dozens of people were killed in several deadly crowd crushes in Nigeria.

• Japanese automakers Honda and Nissan began talks over a major merger.

• Authorities and experts believe that the blame for a deadly Azerbaijani plane crash can be put on Russian defense fire.

• 179 people were killed in a devastating plane crash in South Korea, making it the country's worst-ever aviation disaster.

Fact of the Day: When startled, ladybugs emit a foul-smelling fluid from their leg joints that helps to scare away predators.

Quote of the Day: Sometimes you have to take a step back to move forward. (Erika Taylor)

Word of the Day (Merriam-Webster): Urbane (adj, er-BAYN) - Someone described as urbane is notably polite, confident, or polished in manner. Urbane is also used to describe things that are fashionable and somewhat formal.

In a Sentence: "When did my willful, childish cousin turn into this urbane young artist greeting the guests at her opening reception?" wondered Elena.