The many unforgettable news stories
to come out of 2016
Taylor Swift & Kanye West Feud
In February, Kanye West released his song “Famous” which begins with the line, “I feel like me and Taylor might still have sex, I made that b***h famous.” Taylor Swift blasted the song in her Grammys acceptance speech and West defended himself by explaining that he got Swift’s approval for the lyrics first. Taylor’s representatives denied the claim, which led to Kim Kardashian-West releasing several videos of the conversation on Snapchat as proof. Swift was immediately hit with a wave of criticism and called out as a liar by numerous news outlets.
Pulse Nightclub Tragedy
On June 12th, Orlando’s Pulse Nightclub gained international attention as it was the scene of the deadliest mass shooting by a single gunman in U.S. history. 49 people were killed and 53 others were wounded in what has now become the deadliest terrorist attack on U.S. soil since the September 11th attacks in 2001. In November 2016, the city of Orlando agreed to buy the nightclub for $2.25 million. Mayor Buddy Dyer has expressed plans to convert the nightclub into a memorial to honor the memory of the 49 victims.
Pokémon Go
On July 6th, Pokémon Go was released and became an instant global and cultural phenomenon. Guinness World Records confirmed that Pokémon Go set five incredible world records since its launch, including most revenue grossed by a mobile game in its first month, most downloaded mobile game in its first month and fastest time to gross $100 million by a mobile game. The free-to-play, location-based augmented reality game is now the biggest mobile game in U.S. history.
Lochtegate
Unfortunately the biggest story to come out of the Rio Olympics had nothing to do with awards and medals. In August, USA swimmer Ryan Lochte claimed he and three other teammates were robbed at gunpoint in Rio by a man dressed like a cop. Eventually it was revealed that Lochte grossly embellished the story and the “robber” was actually a gas station security guard who made him pay for damaging a door and mirror. The instant backlash led to formal charges against the swimmers, a 10-month suspension from swimming and the lost of several major sponsors.
iPhone 7 Release
In September, Apple officially announced the release of the iPhone 7 and 7 Plus with water resistance, dual cameras, and no headphone jack. The announcement of doing away with the traditional headphone jack led to heated discussions and many angry consumers as the media ridiculed Apple’s claim that it took “courage” to make the upgrade. The new phone comes with headphones that plug into the charging port with the help of an adapter. Wireless AirPods will also be made available for purchase.
Galaxy Note 7 Recall
Apple wasn’t the only phone company facing scrutiny this year. The iPhone 7 backlash was the perfect opportunity for Samsung to boost sales of their new Galaxy Note 7. However, a manufacturing defect in the battery caused some of them to generate excessive heat and explode or catch on fire. A formal US recall and exchange program was announced, but reports quickly began to emerge of replacement phones also catching on fire. In October, Samsung announced it would discontinue the Galaxy Note 7 and permanently cease its production.
Brangelina Divorce
In September, the internet exploded with news of the most shocking celebrity breakup of the year. Brangelina fans around the world were caught off guard when Angelina Jolie filed for divorce from Brad Pitt citing irreconcilable differences. She’s asking for physical custody of the couple’s 6 children and only wants Pitt to have visitation rights. This is the second divorce for Pitt who split with his first wife Jennifer Aniston after meeting Jolie on set of Mr & Mrs Smith, a choice that many say Pitt is now experiencing ‘karma’ for.
Kim Kardashian-West Robbery
On October 2nd, Kim Kardashian was bound, gagged and robbed at gunpoint in a luxury apartment in Paris. Five armed masked men dressed as police officers were involved and stole millions of dollars in jewelry, including her wedding ring. Police say the robbers escaped on bicycles after she begged them for her life. Though Kardashian-West was unharmed, the crime directly led to her recent absence from social media.
Chicago Cubs Win The World Series
On November 3rd, Chicago erupted in tears of joy as the Cubs won the World Series after a 108 year-long drought. The win came by one run after extra innings and a rain delay in a nail-biting five-hour Game Seven against the Cleveland Indians. Celebrities like Bill Murray and LeBron James were in the stands to watch as the Cubs were crowned champions in the tenth inning, beating the Indians 8-7. Both teams are record holders for the two longest droughts in MLB history.
2016 Presidential Election
No matter what your opinion was on this year’s Presidential Election, there is one thing we can all agree on celebrating—the fact that it’s over! On November 8th, Donald Trump won the presidency with 306 electoral votes to the 232 received by Clinton. After it was guessed that he won with fewer popular votes than his opponent, according to some sources, Trump’s victory sparked numerous protests in major cities across America and was a major political upset due to his controversial policies and comments. Trump will be sworn in as the 45th U.S. President at noon on Jan. 20, 2017 at the U.S. Capitol.
