Teen killed, another injured in Miramar drive-by shooting

A 17-year old boy was killed in a drive-by shooting that occurred on January 28th. The shooting happened at 7:52 p.m. near the intersection of Riviera Boulevard and South University Drive, which is just north of the Florida Turnpike. The victim, Johnnie Henderson, and his 17 year-old girlfriend were driving south near the 3600 block of University Drive when they were suddenly shot at from a passing car. Both teens were shot and later rushed to Memorial Regional Hospital. Henderson passed away later that night, but his girlfriend is said to be in stable condition and expected to recover from her injuries. 

Tech CEOs testify at Senate hearing 

In a tense congressional hearing on January 31st, the chief executives of Meta, Tiktok, Snapchat, Discord, and X (formerly known as Twitter) testified before the Senate Judiciary Committee. This hearing took place amid extreme criticism from lawmakers, parents, and advocates who say that social media companies have long failed to protect their young users from abuse and harassment. During the four-hour hearing, the CEOs, such as Meta’s Mark Zuckerberg and Tiktok’s Shou Zi Chew, attempted to reassure both the Senate and the country of their commitment to combating the exploitation of children online. Lawmakers also used the hearing to push for a package of bills to be passed, which would allow victims of child exploitation to sue tech companies.

Kansas City Chiefs win Super Bowl LVIII 

In the highly anticipated Super Bowl 2024, the Kansas City Chiefs emerged victorious, defeating the San Francisco 49ers 25-22. The game, which was held at the Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, began with a scoreless first quarter and eventually saw both teams exchanging field goals back and forth. Wide receiver Mecole Hardman Jr. scored the winning touchdown, which was thrown by Patrick Mahomes. The Chiefs also won the Super Bowl last year against the Philadelphia Eagles. Additionally, this was the seventh-longest game in the history of the NFL. The game was accompanied by a halftime show performed by Usher, featuring several other artists, such as Alicia Keys, H.E.R, and Ludacris. The performance featured outfit changes, dancers, a marching band, and even roller skating. 

Border dispute between Texas and federal government escalates

The state of Texas and the Biden administration are currently in a dispute over immigration and border control. On January 22nd, the Supreme Court stated that the federal government has the authority to remove razor wire that Texas previously installed at the southern border, in efforts to discourage Mexican migrants from illegally crossing into the country. Later during the week, however, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton refused the federal government’s request for access to the border and demanded proof of the government’s authority in the request. Twenty-five Republican governors are backing Gov. Abbott’s stance; they say Texas has the constitutional right to self-defense.

House votes to impeach U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security

The House of Representatives has voted to impeach Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, making him the first cabinet member to face impeachment in nearly 150 years. The vote, which took place on February 13th, was held on the basis of his failure in enforcing border laws amid a “crisis” of high illegal immigration. The articles of impeachment against Mayorkas passed 214-213, with the majority made up of only Republicans, and three Republicans voting with Democrats against impeachment. This historic move is now being criticized by few Republicans and many Democrats, as they believe the impeachment was based on policy disagreements instead of accusations of specific crimes. Mayorkas has also claimed the allegations to be “baseless.” 

UK announces ban on single-use vapes

The U.K. government announced on January 29th that it will ban disposable vapes, due to an alarming rise in the number of young people using them. Measures will also be introduced to prevent vapes from being marketed at children and to target under-age sales. Prime Minister Rishi Sunak explained that adult smokers trying to quit would still have access to alternatives like vapes under the proposals. It is illegal to sell vapes to consumers under the age of 18 in the U.K., but according to government figures, 9% of 11 to 15 year-olds use them. The number of children vaping has also tripled over the last three years. 

Stanley Cup Maker Sued Over Lead Allegations

A proposed class action lawsuit was filed on February 1st against the maker of the Stanley cup, a popular brand of reusable water bottles. The lawsuit was filed by four women in the state of California, who claim that the company misled consumers by failing to disclose that the product contains lead, a toxic substance. The lawsuit also claims that the Stanley brand owner, Pacific Market International, marketed their products as safe and durable while knowing that there was lead in the cups’ vacuum seals. Following the allegations, the company put out a statement claiming that their cups do contain lead, but are still safe to use as the lead is covered with a layer of stainless steel.