Trump pardons former Honduran president: On Nov. 28, President Trump announced that he will grant a pardon to former Honduran president Juan Orlando Hernández, whom a US jury convicted last year in a major drug trafficking case. Hernández was president from 2014 to 2022, and his first term involved multiple corruption scandals that led to widespread protests. Less than a month after leaving office in 2022, Hernández was arrested and extradited to the US to face drug-trafficking and weapons charges. Although he denied tracking drugs, providing police protection to cartels, or accepting bribes, a jury found Hernández guilty in March of 2024. (Sources: NY Times)
– Jordan Park, Website Manager
Buildings in Hong Kong catch fire: On Nov. 26, a housing complex in Hong Kong’s Tai Po district was set ablaze, killing more than 150 residents as of Dec. 1. The apartments in the district were under renovation during the time of the fire. Although the exact cause of the fire is still unknown, investigators found that contractors had used a scaffolding netting on the buildings that was not up to date with fire-safety standards, which they had hidden from inspectors. 13 people have been arrested who are affiliated with the construction company in charge of the renovations under suspicion of manslaughter. Residents as well as loved ones of those who were killed in the fire seek more answers as the investigation and recovery continue. (Sources: CBS News, NY Times)
– Fuyu Banno, Graphics Editor
Holiday travels surpass previous records: As travelers returned for their Thanksgiving break, TSA confirmed that this was the busiest travel period in history, breaking several records. The Nov. 30 travel numbers broke the record for the number of travellers going through the airports, with over 3.1 million individuals screening through airport security checkpoints. Over 82 million people traveled for the Thanksgiving holiday this year. All of the TSA’s top ten busiest air travel days have exceeded three million travelers and have occurred since July 2024, with eight of the 10 days occurring this year, according to the TSA. The prior record for a single day was July 22, 2024, when TSA scanned 3.09 million passengers. Before 2024, TSA had exceeded three million passengers twice in its history. Many more cancellations have been due to the issue involving the Airbus 320 planes, and a vulnerability to solar flares has emerged after a recent mid-air incident on a JetBlue A320 on Oct. 30, 2025. (Sources: BBC, CNN)
– Noah Gloege, National/World Editor
Monks walk for religious amiability: Two dozen Buddhist monks began a walk for peace on Oct. 26 in Fort Worth, Texas. Their main goal is to “raise awareness of peace, loving kindness, and compassion across America and the world,” according to the Walk for Peace group. The monks plan to travel to ten states before reaching Washington, DC. Within Texas, the monks walked through several cities, including Austin and Houston. They walk along roads and highways while law enforcement escorts them or a vehicle trails. While walking on the side of the U.S. Highway 90 on Nov. 19, a truck struck the monks’ escort vehicle, ricocheting into two of the monks. One monk had substantial leg injuries, while the other monk sustained less serious wounds. The monks resumed their walk on Nov. 22, “with steadfast determination,” Walk for Peace noted. (Sources: AP News, Houston Public Media)
– Kloe Adams, Games Creator
Supreme Court discusses campaign finance limits: On Dec. 9, the Supreme Court looked into removing limits on campaign finance. Vice President JD Vance brought this issue to debate, challenging the current limits on national party committees’ spending and insisting that these limits violate the First Amendment. While the liberal justices asserted their opposition to changing campaign finance limits, which currently grant Democrats a financial advantage during midterm elections, conservative judges were hesitant to voice their arguments. Although the Supreme Court expects the case to last until summer, lawyers are unsure whether the court will follow through in evaluating the case and approve granting political parties the ability to spend money on candidates without restrictions, or will dismiss it, keeping the current standard. (Sources: NBC, NY Times, Politico)
– Megan Saul, Editor-in-Chief