7.1 Magnitude Earthquake Strikes Tibet
On January 7th, 2025, a 7.1 magnitude earthquake suddenly struck the Tingri County region of Shigatse in Tibet, which claimed the lives of between 126 and 400 people and injured 338, while also managing to injure 13 people in Nepal. About 27,200 buildings were damaged, and 3,612 homes collapsed, as well as five sections of national and provincial roads. In Nepal, about 14 homes, including a police station, were damaged. There was also damage reported in Northern India, while shaking was felt across South Asia. The death toll is reportedly disputed, as the Government of China came to its conclusion of 126 deaths as a result of search operations in 27 villages with 6,900 people within 12 miles of the earthquake epicenter. However, local Tibetans argued against this because of a “lack of revisions, transparency, and censorship by the government,” and they also argued that the number was around 265 dead people. Chinese authorities denied these claims as a rumor, even supposedly going as far as “imposing administrative punishment on some locals for spreading ‘misinformation’ online.”
– Brenden Pohanic
Wildfires Ravage Los Angeles County
This year, on January 7th, Los Angeles County was affected by devastating wildfires. Following an intense 8-month drought and powerful winds up to 80 miles per hour, fires from two different mountain ranges spread quickly throughout the greater Los Angeles area. Altadena and the Pacific Palisades area were the most impacted. For 24 days, the fire raged on, burning over 12,000 structures in densely populated areas across the county. The combined force of the Eaton and Palisades fires destroyed over 37,000 acres of land, causing tens of billions of dollars in damage. Although the fire was fully contained on January 31st, communities are still struggling to recover from the loss.
– Zoe Middleton
TikTok ban of 2025
The widely known video-making platform, TikTok, was banned for just a few hours on January 19th. President Trump’s efforts to fully ban the app weren’t considered, especially once the enforcement continued to be delayed after many months. U.S. lawmakers were concerned that the Chinese government was using American citizens’ personal information, which could quickly threaten national security. Trump later decided to allow U.S. citizens to gain access to the app again, and many say it helped him “win the election”. Even as 2025 comes to an end, TikTok being banned is still a possibility in the future.
–Malia Mamah
How Two Numbers Took Over the World
In December of 2024, Skrilla unofficially released the song Doot Doot, which features the hook “6-7.” In Early 2025, users on TikTok began creating edits of basketball players using the song. After its official release in February 2025, the phrase “6-7” started being used outside of social media. Oftentimes, it was used to express ambivalence. As teachers and parents grew more confused by the day about the phrase, their students and children found it even more amusing. “6-7” is a term that children of all ages have bonded over through the course of this year. A teacher at Columbia Middle School says, “We had ‘I am Cornholio,’ as kids, so it’s hard to be angry at these kids.” The most important thing to remember is that this happens for every generation, and tolerance is key.
-Wiley Scheideman
Sean “Diddy” Combs Empire Crumbles
Within the year 2025, we’ve seen many celebrities go on trial; however, one of the most famous is Sean “Diddy” Combs. Known throughout the years for not only owning Bad Boy Records valued up to $100 million at the peak of the company in the late 90s, but he’s also known for his many crimes and allegations. Homeland Security raided Sean Comb’s estates in Los Angeles and Miami in March 2024 as a part of a federal sex trafficking investigation when multiple lawsuits were filed against him. It’s clear Sean Diddy Combs has a violent history, following the lawsuits filed against him by other celebrities such as Cassie Ventura (Sean’s former girlfriend), Rodney Jones who also goes by the name “Lil Rod”, and past associate Dawn Richard. As of 2025, Combs is facing nearly 100 lawsuits. His criminal trial for sex trafficking, racketeering and prostitution charges began May 5 with an enormous social media following. He was found guilty of two counts of transporting individuals such as Cassie Ventura, receiving a generous sentence of over 4 years in prison in October 2025.
-Ellenee Flores
Controversy Envelops Melanie Martinez
The famous world singer, Melanie Martinez, was exposed for sexual Assault back in 2024, but it finally came to light this year. Timothy Heller, who is Melanie Martinez ex best friend, spoke out about what Martinez did to her eight years ago, in 2017, claiming Martinez sexually assaulted her. Controversy has surrounded Melanie Martinez and her fan base ever since. Fans have also noticed that in many of Martinez’s songs, she is sexualizing minors and partaking in age-play. Knowing that Martinez is already in her 30s, and with the release of two new albums coming out in the 2026 season, we can only hope that she will not continue these disgusting actions.
-Addison Hill
Kendrick Lamar’s Superbowl Performance
Kendrick Lamar was picked as the artist of the year to perform for the halftime show at the 2025 NFL Super Bowl. The performance, however, was controversial because it contains deep political and cultural symbolism, such as Uncle Sam saying how “ghetto” upbeat songs are and how pop and other genres are superior to rap. The performance contains many unusual acts, such as crip walks, and the clothing only contains the color of the American flag. There’s also a protest that was executed by one of the performers by raising a Sudan half Palestine flag while standing on top of the prop car right in the middle of the stage.
-Matthew Saridjo
Literally the Worst Trade in Sports History
One of the shocking trades in sports history happened this year when former Dallas Mavericks general manager Nico Harrison orchestrated a blockbuster trade that sent generational talent Luka Doncic to the Lakers for Anthony Davis. This move came less than a year after Doncic carried the Mavericks to the NBA finals and won the 2023-2024 NBA Scoring Title. The backlash and anger from the Maverick fanbase was so intense that Nico Harrison was finally fired in November after the team started 3-8. The lone silver lining was the Mavericks landing the No.1 pick in the 2025 NBA draft despite only having a 1.8% chance, where they drafted 18-year-old Cooper Flagg, who is having an all-time great rookie season.
– Tatiana Holguin
Lunar Eclipse
In 2025, there were two total lunar eclipses on March 13th-14th, best seen from the Americas. A lunar eclipse occurs when the Earth passes between the sun and the moon, casting a shadow on the moon, making its appearance that of a “blood moon”. Furthermore, lunar eclipses are visible to anyone on the night side of Earth, making them easy to watch. Despite these facts, modern humans had common beliefs around them, viewing them as omens or messages from god or ancestors. The red color is seen as a way for ancestors or deities to send messages, requiring community actions. A widespread myth suggests that food and water are contaminated, leading some individuals to avoid eating or drinking during an eclipse.
– Sobhanullah Hussainkhail
Death of Pope Francis
Pope Francis, whose real name was Jorge Mario Bergoglio, passed away at the Vatican on April 21, 2025. He was 88 years old and had been unwell for some time, including a bad chest cold earlier that year. The doctors said he died from a sudden heart failure caused by a stroke. He had been Pope since 2013 and was widely loved by the Argentine Pope, a Jesuit, because they called him the “Pope for the Poor” as he cared deeply about fairness for everyone. His burial was held on April 26, 2025. The high-ranking priests (Cardinals) later met and chose a new Pope, Pope Leo XIV 17 days later.
– Bezael Tsehaye
The Rise of the Labubus: Why the Internet is Obsessed
The Japanese Pop Mart branded blind boxes named “Labubu” made a hit this year in 2025. Although they’ve been around for 10 years, the slightly unsettling plush charm monster-like creatures gained popularity rapidly through TikTok trends and celebrity endorsements. A part of the appeal is the wish to find a “secret” version of the Labubu’s, and among 37+ different blind box series, the possibilities are endless. They have been spotted on the bags of singers such as Dua Lipa, Rihanna, and Lisa from the K-pop group BLACKPINK. These Labubu’s aren’t cheap either, starting at $30 for a regular blind box in-store, and up to $60 for a resold box. Prices can go up all the way to 200+ dollars for rare or special edition drops, specifically in reselling.
-Raven Abitbol
Bad Bunny’s Residency Concerts: A Landmark in Music
On July 11th, 2025, Bad Bunny began his “No Me Quiero Ir De Aqui” concert residency, where he had 31 massive shows, all selling out. His very last residency show ended on September 20th, 2025. This was an extra show called “Una Mas.” These shows featured numerous celebrity appearances, including Marc Anthony, Jowell & Randy, Jhayco, Los Pleneros De La Cresta, Daddy Yankee, and more. Additionally, multiple artists featured on his album “Debi Tirar Mas Fotos”, including Rainao, Nengo Flow, and others, made guest appearances. These 31 massive shows that connected people to their culture and allowed them to embrace others were held in San Juan, Puerto Rico, at the Jose Miguel Agrelot Coliseum. The final show was record-breaking for Amazon Music as the last show was live-streamed.
-Kayla Salazar
D4vd’s Potential Connection to the Death of Celeste Hernandez
On September 8th of 2025, a reported “foul odor” in a Hollywood tow yard was investigated, which was discovered to be a dismembered body. It was later revealed that this body belonged to a 15-year-old girl, Celeste Rivas Hernandez. The body was found in the back of a Tesla that was registered to the musician David Burke, also known as D4vd. There have been many suspicions as to the true involvement the musician had, but many large accusations have been made against him. Platforms like TikTok and Instagram immediately took to investigating the possible relation between the victim and the musician, which revealed past clips of a young girl, appearing to be Celeste, with David Burke. The official cause of death is unknown, and Burke remains a person of interest.
-Lynnae Gray
The Kirkification of the Internet: The web at its strangest
On September 10th, 2025, controversial figure Charlie Kirk passed away, and what followed his death was an interesting internet phenomenon to say the least…Kirkification. People have utilized AI to “Kirkify” people’s faces, and the results are nothing short of strange. What started with a few reaction gifs and memes has spiraled into the complete Kirkification of the internet. Any celebrity, athlete, politician or historical figure to ever exist has been Kirkified by this point; from Micheal Jordan to Speed to Genghis Kahn, they have all been Kirkified. You could open your phone right now and go into any comment section, chances are you will find Charlie Kirk’s face pasted onto someone else’s head.
– Anthony Reyes
Trump and the white house’s announcements on tylenol.
On September 22, 2025 Trump made a bold announcement. While the world has bigger problems and are begging for the president to” help or do better,” he and his secretary Robert F. Kennedy had suggested that there is a link between Tylenol and autism; they boldly made this claim with no research to back it up, stating“ want to say it like it is. Don’t take Tylenol. Don’t take it. If you just can’t, I mean, it’s — fight like hell not to take it. There may be a point where you have to and that, you will have to work out with yourself.” Research actually shows that tylenol is the most asked for drug during pregnancy, and that acetaminophen is the safest drug for women to take.Trump claims that acetaminophen has a link between autism and tylenol. With doctors doing research since this absurd claim, Trump’s words have since been proven false, worrying the people and causing them to wonder what is going on in his head.
– Jazai Rice
The Rise of Internet Celebrities- Old School Stardom Is Dead!
During quarantine, most of us turned to the internet for entertainment, an outlet, or an escape. People started documenting their thoughts on social media, making memes, remaking scenarios; increasing the amount of people going viral and gaining a mass following. The consequence? If you were to ask a child on the street to name someone famous, they probably wouldn’t say Britney Spears or Leonardo Dicaprio, but rather someone like iShowspeed or vanillamace. The appreciation for those who practice modern art has died down. The grand ceremony for the streamer awards was proof of this, being a re-creation of award shows like The Grammy’s or the Oscar’s, but for gamers and streamers, which lead to many online feeling conflicted. To see our society evolve from “whose your favourite actor/singer/director” to “whose your favorite streamer or TikToker” has notably been a little saddening; there’s been a lack of appreciation for those who have put in so much time and effort into their practice because it just gets overshadowed by the newest tiktok video, AI generated content, or the latest streamer funny moment. How will artists make a comeback from this?
– Ra’Vae Moore
Smiling Friends- The Rise of Unconventional Humor
In January of 2022, the first season of the new show Smiling Friends aired on HBO Max, with the pilot “Desmond’s Big Day Out” reeling in .310M viewers. It became popular among a niche audience of people on the internet. However, the mainstream popularity of smiling friends began with Season 2, which premiered on May 12th, 2024. Season 2 averaged a 9.0 on IMDb, and on the day of the premiere of Episode 3, Smiling Friends was the fifth most watched show on Adult Swim. With Season 2’s success, Season 3 came out shortly after in October of 2025, and sparked discourse all over America. Shows like The Simpsons have parodied Smiling Friends, creating a dialogue about Gen Z’s unconventional sense of humor. Because the show’s comedy is so rooted in chaotic and esoteric concepts, it’s incredibly popular among the younger generations. Unconventional and unpredictable humor is making it’s way through the mainstream, and adults are utterly confused.
– Aubrey Dearman
Shohei’s Goat Performance
When you are the back-to-back MLB MVP, there aren’t many ways to show that you’re the best player in the league. However, in game 3 of the 2025 World Series, which on its own was a crazy game, getting two games for the price of one, with the game going 18 innings. Ohtani had one of the best World Series performances ever, going 4-4 and having 2 home runs. Adding on to this, the Blue Jays intentionally walked him 5 times in a row. The fear Ohtani put in the Blue Jays for them not to allow him to attempt to get a hit in extra innings shows why this was one of the top World Series performances of all time.
– Anthony Andrew
Wicked: For Good, Results of Overexertion.
The musical rendition Wicked made waves with the iconic song “Defying Gravity” on November 22, 2024. Upon its release, the media took note of the suspicious behaviors of the two main actors, Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo. The two seemed to be very emotionally sensitive during interviews, which they refused to discuss. Many pictures of the Wicked actors gained attention due to the actors’ being extremely skinny. All of this raised red flags for the fans who were starting to worry that wicked actors were being overworked and possibly mistreated while on set. Nevertheless, on November 22, 2025, the second part of the movie was released, and people can only now hope that this tension will be resolved.
– Lana Trice
Camp Flog Gnaw 2025
This year’s annual Camp Flog Gnaw music festival truly brought the heat. The lineup featured performances from upcoming artists, like British rapper Fakemink, and recurring performers, like Kali Uchis and Childish Gambino. The event, which was hosted by rapper Tyler, The Creator, lasted from November 22nd to the 23rd at Dodger Stadium, with the energy throughout staying lively and ecstatic. A highlight performance was actor, rapper, and comedian Zack Fox’s Big Nasty BBQ & Booty Shake, which delivered a genre-bending set that consisted of Atlanta Rap, Soul, and Chicago House. He also used his time on stage to express his deep political beliefs, involving the audience in chants regarding statements like “F- ICE” and “Free Palestine”. Music is all around us and brings us closer as a community, and Camp Flog Gnaw is the best example of people coming together to express their love of music.
– Roy Markes
Climate Change This Season
Our economic climate has had some drastic changes over the course of 2025, even making many wonder whether it is a global issue or manmade. The delay in snow this season has especially raised concern among state residents. Colorado has shown a prime example of climate change, showing a streak of no snow for 224 days! With the first snow being on November 29, 2025, this shocked the country, questioning whether this snowfall would continue throughout this season or not. As we continue into the third week of December, temperatures continue to fluctuate, and also showing no sign of snow.
– Hermela Temesgen
We All See Cena
On December 13, 2025, the wrestling world said goodbye to the beloved, John Cena, at WWE Saturday Night’s Main Event. In July of 2024, at WWE Money In The Bank, John Cena announced that his time in the company was coming to an end, and he only had 36 dates until his ultimate send off. Within these 36 dates, John Cena went on to win the WWE Champion for his 17th time, setting the record for the most in the company, and winning his first Intercontinental Championship, which solidified him as a grand slam champion. In his final match, Cena faced off against Gunther, which resulted in a loss due to Cena tapping out; which is something that Cena hasn’t done for the past 20 years.
– Syrus Sweetwine-Trask
Wanna Sprite Cranberry?
During the 2025 holiday season, Anthony Edwards stepped in as “Anta Claus” in a new Sprite Cranberry commercial, taking over the spot once owned by LeBron James. LeBron’s 2017 ad, with the line “Wanna Sprite Cranberry?”, became a holiday classic, but after years of constant replays, it started to feel old. As a kid, I was into it, but by around 2021 it was played out. Edwards’ version brings the brand back to life with a new story and more chaotic, fun energy. He sells the “holiday savior” role so well that it actually makes Sprite Cranberry feel exciting again.
– Javyn Myers
Hugging Trees For What You Believe
A true environmental activist, Truphena Muthoni, made history again on December 12 setting a new world record for hugging a tree for 72 hours breaking her previous record of 48 hours. This young Kenyan activist strives to spread awareness around deforestation, environmental conservation, and mental wellness. Despite facing challenges with government support, communities within Kenya especially the Nyeri County have come together and rallied behind her. Muthoni stands by her saying that “nature can hold us when life feels heavy, and that protecting our trees is part of protecting our own well-being.” Her actions and dedication spread globally as she solidified herself as an inspiration towards the youth to stand for what you believe in.
– Jeddy Muriithi
The Chiefs Downfall
The Kansas City Chiefs’ 2025-2026 season will be defined as the downfall; everything starts in week 11. Coming off the bye week, the Chiefs were sitting at a 5-5 record, needing to win a key Division game against the Broncos to stay in the playoff race, which they ended up losing, but this game made it evident that the Chiefs weren’t the same team anymore. Since that game, the Chiefs’ season has been up and down with wins and losses. And in this last weekend’s match-up against the Chargers, the Chiefs not only got eliminated from the playoffs but now have a bigger concern, which is Patrick Mahomes. He suffered a torn ACL injury, and now his status to play next season is in question. The future for what this team holds is very much in the air.
– Sebastian Sanchez
Bo Knows
Bo Nix’s 2025 has marked his best time as the face of the Denver Broncos. Through 20 games played in 2025, Nix has put up elite numbers, amassing over 4,200 passing yards and 32 passing touchdowns with just 9 interceptions. He has also shown impressive ability as a rusher, with over 500 rushing yards and 6 rushing scores. His leadership and athleticism have pushed the Broncos to the best record in league, who are sitting at 10-2. With the year coming to a close, Nix is preparing for his second playoff appearance in just as many seasons. The number one seed quarterback stands as an MVP-Caliber player and the leader of a true Super Bowl team.
– Jeremy Powers
