George Santos Case
By Sarina Mukit,
At the end of August 2024, George Santos, a man who lied his way into being a Congressman, was suspected of fraud and identity theft resulting in his arrest. In August, he pleaded guilty to committing wire fraud and aggravated identity theft. Santos, who is 36 years old, will be spending almost six years in prison and is in debt of many and owes $570,000 in restitution and forfeiture after admitting that he duped voters, lied to donors, and stole the identities of 11 people (family members included) to make donations to his campaign.
Senine Water Quality During the Paris Olympics
By Tori Corwise,
Swimming was off limits in the Seine River due to pollution for over a century. For the 2024 Olympics the city of paris poured 1.5 billion dollars (1.4 billion euros) to try and clean the river up. To prepare for the games they built a huge basin to capture excess rainwater and keep untreated waste from flowing into the river. They also renovated the sewage system and upgraded water treatment plans.
9x NBA All-Star Paul George Signs With The Philadelphia 76ers on a 4 Year $212 Million Deal
By Andres Mejia,
Paul George has decided to take his talents across the globe to Philadelphia on a massive 4-year deal. The 9-time NBA All Star finished his 5th and last season with the Los Angeles Clippers, averaging 22.6 points per game, and having his best efficiency season playing 74 games. George is still on the search for his first NBA championship, and joining a 76ers team with 2023 MVP Joel Embiid, 2024 MIP Tyrese Maxey, and many other young pieces such as rookie Jared McCain, the 76ers are a title contender team to watch and can be George’s best chance of winning an NBA title at the age of 34.
Mikal Bridges Traded to the New York Knicks
By Alex Clark,
The Brooklyn Nets and The New York Knicks are finalizing a trade that will send Small forward Mikal Bridges to the Knicks for five first round draft picks, one first round pick swap, a second round draft pick, forwards Bojan Bogdanović and Mamadi Diakite and guard Shake Milton from the New York Knicks. The Knicks will receive Mikal Bridges and Keita Bates-Diop, a 2026 second round draft pick. This trade helps bring some future assets to Brooklyn as they look to rebuild for the future. This trade helps boost the Knicks chances of making a deep playoff run as they look to take down the defending Champion Boston Celtics.
Biden Dropped the Race and Harris Picked up the Nomination
By Christopher Fryer,
On Sunday, July 21st, President Joe Biden stepped down from his candidacy for re-election following a poor debate performance, endorsing Vice President Kamala Harris a little later that day. The new candidate soon selected Minnesota Governor Tim Walz to be her Vice President if she were to be elected. Harris secured the Democratic nomination at the Democratic National Convention in Chicago in August. With a burst of momentum, her campaign rushed to get votes in the coming months. In September, she and Republican Candidate Donald Trump held their only debate. Both candidates claimed to have won, despite many analysts declaring that Harris did better. Walz and Republican Vice President candidate J.D. Vance also debated on October 1st.
Hurricane Milton
By Brsna Al-kardali,
Hurricane Milton, which formed in the Atlantic Ocean during the 2024 hurricane season, initially began as a tropical disturbance in the eastern Caribbean before intensifying into a hurricane. As it moved northward, Milton impacted several U.S. states, including Florida, Georgia, and the Carolinas, bringing heavy rainfall, strong winds, and significant coastal flooding. The storm’s intensity ranged from a Category 1 to Category 2 hurricane, but it still caused widespread damage, with storm surges and flooding affecting coastal regions. This hurricane has brought a tense and disruptive event for many residents and caused many power outages and evacuations.
The Passing of Liam Payne
By Mia Abatiello,
Liam Payne, a former member of one of the biggest boy bands in the world, tragically and suddenly passed away at age thirty one. His sudden death left fans, friends, and family in a state of shock and heartbreak. Known for his powerful voice and songwriting, Payne was loved by so many around the world. According to various new sources, Payne fell from a third story balcony from his hotel room in Buenos Aires, Argentina. The fall caused severe injuries which is what led to his death. His toxicology report revealed that he had cocaine, alcohol, and a prescription antidepressant in his system when he died. His death was not a result of suicide; Payne fell off the balcony in a state of unconsciousness.
Alex Jones Sued by Parents of Sandy Hook Victims
By Duster Swanson,
Alexander Emerick Jones, far-right talking head and known conspiracy theorist, lost a 1.5 billion dollar lawsuit by the parents of the victims of the 2012 Sandy Hook Elementary school shooting.
Jake Paul vs Mike Tyson
By Adonia David,
This was a professional boxing match against Jake Paul–a youtuber professional boxer–and Mike Tyson–former heavyweight world champion. This match was originally supposed to be on July 20th but was postponed due to Mike becoming ill. There were 8 full rounds each being 2 minutes long. In the end, Jake Paul reigned victorious.
Wildfires are burning New Jersey
By Clarita Bordamonte,
Wildfires are taking over in Jersey. Over the past couple of months New Jersey has been under restrictions with the NJFFS for no fires directly on the ground unless in a prepared fire ring, Fires on mineral soil, which will not endanger the forest, a prepared fire ring must be constructed of steel, stone, brick, or concrete with a gravel or masonry base. There were multiple arrests also for people allegedly starting fires.
Murderer of 22-year-old Student Found Guilty and Sentenced to Life
By Simra Syed
Jose Ibarra, a 23-year old Venezuelan who entered the US illegally, was found guilty for the murder of Laken Riley and was sentenced to life. Riley, who was a 22-year old Augusta University nursing student, was murdered on February 22, 2024 by Ibarra while jogging at the University of Georgia in Athens, GA. Her cause of death was blunt force trauma and asphyxiation. Ibarra, who already had a criminal history, was later arrested by UGA police and was charged with 10 charges, including felony murder, malice murder, false imprisonment, aggravated assault with intent to rape, and kidnapping. On November 20, Ibarras was found guilty on all counts and was sentenced to life in prison, with no possibility of parole.
Jon Jones Wins MMA Fight After Decent Break
By Matthew Guevara,
Jon Jones most recent fight, fought in the weight 309. He faced Stipe Miocic in a highly anticipated heavyweight rumble. Jon Jones came out with a victorios win by a TKO with a stunning spinning back kick with a couple of flutters of punches. Jon Jones hasn’t fought in a while. Him being more heavy than he has ever been he still showed his power and adaptability. All of this is showing one of the greatest MMA fighters in history.
SAG-AFTRA Strikes End After a Year of Protest
By Heaven-lee Laboissiere,
The SAG-AFTRA strike, lasting from July 2023 to November 2024, was driven by disputes over pay, streaming residuals, and the ethical use of AI in the entertainment industry. Actors demanded protections against their likenesses being digitally replicated without consent and pushed for better residuals, as streaming revenue models often left performers undercompensated compared to traditional media. The deal reached in November included significant wins: improved compensation, safeguards against AI exploitation, and transparency in streaming data. The strike’s resolution marked a pivotal moment for labor rights in Hollywood. Actors like Fran Drescher, famous from “The Nanny,” played a pivotal role in the protest, being the SAG-AFTRA Union President. Other huge names in the industry apart of the strikes include Meryl Streep and Dwayne Johnson provided vocal and financial support.
Andy Kim is Elected to the US Senate in NJ
By Ally Marchese
Andy Kim was elected on Tuesday November 5th. He defeated republican Curtis Bashaw. This opened up when Bob Menendez resigned this year after his conviction on bribery charges. Andy Kim is now the new US Senate. Andy Kim is also the first Korean-American in the senate.
Israel-Hamas Protests Spread Across U.S.
By Cibely Xavier,
The Israel–Hamas war sparked widespread protests across the United States, with demonstrators taking to the streets and college campuses to voice their opinions. Pro-Palestinian protests criticized U.S. support for Israel and raised concerns about civilian casualties in Gaza. Meanwhile, supporters of Israel expressed fears over rising anti-semitism at these events. Many of the protests remained peaceful, though some resulted in arrests, particularly on university campuses where sit-ins and building occupations occurred.
The 2024 Presidential Election
In November, Donald J. Trump won the US Presidential election. Trump went up against Vice President Kamala Harris after President Biden dropped out of the race in July. Harris conceded after falling short of the necessary Electoral College Votes. Trump reclaimed key battleground states including Georgia and Pennsylvania which previously went to Biden in the 2020 election.
International Upheaval throughout Different Countries
The end of 2024 is seeing many different countries go through turmoil and upheaval. For example, on December 3rd, South Korea’s president, Yoon Suk Yeol declared martial law citing “anti-state forces” and the threat from North Korea for his reasoning. However, it became clear to citizens that the decision stemmed from his own political difficulties. This realization sparked massive protests outside of the parliament. Opposition lawmakers quickly passed an emergency vote overturning the martial law order. Just six hours later, Yoon accepted the parliamentary decision and rescinded the martial law. A little while later, a motion to censure the president failed by five votes, mostly due to a boycott by members of Yoon’s ruling People Power Party (PPP).
Then on December 4, the French government collapsed after a historic no-confidence vote for Prime Minister Michel Barnier in the National Assembly, the first of its kind in over sixty years. The motion was driven by Barnier’s decision to invoke an article which allowed him to bypass parliamentary approval of a controversial social security budget. Opposition parties from both the left and far-right joined forces to oust Barnier.
In Syria, opposition forces advanced into Damascus, the capital, and signaled the end of President Bashar al-Assad’s rule. This is the collapse of over 53 years of Assad family dominance in Syria. Prime Minister al-Jalali will be staying on to oversee the running of the country for now. Many Syrian cities celebrated the collapse of the Assad family’s rule.
NJ Still Seeks Answers to the Rise in Drone Sightings
Over the past few weeks, residents have been seeing mysterious drones throughout many Jersey towns, including Wayne. These drones appear to be hovering at low altitudes throughout the night. The FBI has stepped in to investigate the situation, collaborating with local authorities to determine the source of the drone activity but there are still no answers.
