Holding Space for 2024: The Year Wrapped in News, Politics and Pop-culture
+ Our picks on Best Albums and Movies 2024 + Our Choice for Person of the Year
HOT NEWS THIS YEAR! Yup you heard it right! After last week’s Christmas special Hot News This Week, we decided to give the usual programme a pause and take a look back on some of the hottest news 2024 year had to offer. In this issue we will take a look back into the past year, and re-explore world-changing current affairs news and pop culture moments 2024 gave us. The issue also includes our top album and movie picks of the year and our choice for person of the year. So stick around, and let us take you back through the year with a digital time-machine. And let us know in the comments on what you think is the best/biggest story for 2024, and/or your favourite pop-culture/movie/album of the year.
Contents in this Issue:
The Year of Elections
Israel, Palestine, Lebanon: More Devastation, Still no Ceasefire
Track Record of Revolutions: From Bangladesh to Syria to South Korea
Paris Olympics 2024
Gisèle Pelicot: Shame Must Change Sides
Brat Summer: From Billboard to politics
Hot Source’s Picks for Best Albums of 2024
Organised Chaos: The Wicked Press Tour
The Year of Lookalike Competitions
Hot Source’s Picks for Best Movies of 2024
Some More 2024 Moments in Brief
The Year of Elections
The year started off with high stakes as 2024 has been notable for being '“the year of elections” which would go on to re-shape global politics for at least the next half a decade. The global average for voter turnout across 2024 elections was 61 percent, meaning at least about half of the world’s population, decided to go to the polls this year to finalise their new leadership for better or worse. Rattled by rising prices, divided over cultural issues and angry at the political status quo, voters in many countries sent a message of frustration, in conjunction with rising political instability and shaky diplomacy on geopolitical issues.
Here are some notable global election outcomes that will certainly effect international relations and geopolitics heavily for at least the next five years:
Donald Trump winning second term as the first ever convicted felon in the US.
BJP’s Narendra Modi securing his ruling spot in India, with a coalition government
The Kier Starmer’s Labour Party winning in Landslide victory in the UK
France facing political deadlock after parliamentary elections deal a blow to the far-right National Rally - but leave no party with a majority
Israel, Palestine, Lebanon: More Devastation, Still no official Cease-fire
The genocide and atrocities on Gaza spread out further in 2024. Earlier in the year the International Court of Justice heard opening statements in a case in which South Africa accused Israel of committing a state-led genocide campaign against the Palestinian population. Since this in January: tensions grew between Israel and Hezbollah, The IDF carried out a retaliatory strike on Beirut and killed Fuad Shukr, a senior Hezbollah commander who Israel says was responsible for the Majdal Shams attack. Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh was killed, with a newly appointed Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar days later. Israel continues bombing Gaza, Israel carries out a pre-emptive strike against civillian areas in Lebanon, followed carrying out strategic pager explosions. This followed with more attacks on Beirut from Israel and leads to the death of Hezbollah’s leader, Hassan Nasrallah. With Israel moving into Lebanon, tensions between Israel and Iran get raised, with Iran launched nearly 200 missiles, in retaliation for Israel’s campaign against Hezbollah. Israel and Hezbollah agree a ceasefire deal with the aim to bring fighting that had killed 3,500 Lebanese people to an end.
The UN's Human Rights Office has condemned the high number of civilians killed in the war in Gaza, saying its analysis shows close to 70% of verified victims over a six-month period were women and children; With a death toll of more than 43,300 people over the past 13 months.The ICC has issued an arrest warrant for Netanyahu over war crimes. However as of recent, Israel raided Gaza hospital amid ongoing ceasefire talks, along with also bombing Syria after Syria’s dictatorship was overthrown.
Track Record of Revolutions: From Bangladesh to Syria to South Korea
With stakes being so high, there were notables shifts in populace perspectives and their demands for a better future. Bangladeshi students, professors and civilians overthrew their autocratic ruler Sheikh Hasina, exposed the injustices under the Awami League government, and won the Country of the Year Award by The Economist. Syrian rebel forces overthrew Bashar Al Assad, their dictator of 24 years, with hundreds of displaced Syrians now returning to their homeland and prisoners wrongfully incarcerated being released. The South Korean people fought back against a martial law that almost got imposed by their own president, with calls for the impeachment and arrest for President Yoon Suk Yeol. This year was not short on people fighting back for their rights.
Paris Olympics 2024
From the questionable dancing chops of Raygun (Australian break-dancer), to the ever so entertaining chronicles of the Muffin Man-Henrik Christiansen (Norwegian swimmer), to Turkey's Olympic pistol sharpshooter Yusuf Dikec competing with hardly any gear and still winning silver. This year’s Olympics certainly had its fair share of memorable moments.
Although its memorable moments of virality, the 2024 Paris Olympics also had its fair share of controversies. The most notable being Olympic champion Imane Khelif being subjected to a gender eligibility row during the games after the International Boxing Association (IBA) claimed that she was disqualified from the 2023 world championship for failing gender eligibility tests. However, the IBA has since been stripped of recognition by the International Olympic Committee for governance issues. Nevertheless, Imane Khelif has decided to take legal action against particular individuals such as JK Rowling and Elon Musk who garnered vitriolic hate towards Khelif, and she is also taking legal action over media reports allegedly detailing her leaked medical records, said the IOC.
Gisèle Pelicot: “Shame Must Change Sides”
Gruelling details of Gisèle Pelicot’s Rape trial not only shocked France but the world. Gisele was drugged and raped by her ex husband, Dominique Pelicot, along with 50 other men also abusing her for nearly a decade.
France’s largest ever rape trial, spanning across three months, has been brought to an end with the convictions of Dominique Pelicot and the 50 other men being found guilty. This horrific ordeal has led to french lawmakers taking action to modify France’s rape law by adding the notion of ‘consent’ to the country’s law defining rape.
Near the beginning of the trial, Gisèle Pelicot waived her automatic right to anonymity so she could support and raise awareness for other victims of similar crimes:
"I want all women who have been raped to say: Madame Pelicot did it, I can too."
~ Gisèle Pelicot.
Even though Donald Trump was presented as Time Magazine Person of the Year for their cover, we know our choice would without a doubt be Gisèle Pelicot for her resilience and strength during this horrifying ordeal, and for raising awareness for victims of similar crimes.
Brat Summer: From Billboard to Politics
There was no escaping from the allure of Brat Summer this year. This year was monumental for Charli XCX as her remix album drops also maintained the momentum steadily. Upon the release of Charli XCX’s new album, the internet went on a complete frenzy, and soon upon the album’s release, the aura and the green album cover with the Arial graphic text became widespread; It was absolutely everywhere! From marketing, to politics to quite obviously, music discourse. The album brought back the essence of partying which many felt was lost since the pandemic era started due to Covid 19.
One of the mainstream music discourse being of Taylor Swift seemingly trying to block Charli XCX from reaching number 1 in the Billboard UK Charts by dropping Swift’s The Tortured Poet’s Department vinyl variants strategically to interfere with audience listening stats. Aside from this, the album art has also been heavily used in marketing and also political slogans and campaigning. The most notable being “Kamala is Brat”, an endorsement made by Charli XCX ahead of the US presidential elections this year.
Hot Source’s Picks for Best Albums of 2024:
Organised Chaos: The Wicked Press Tour
Holding space for the chaos that ensued from this press tour of the Wicked movie. Albeit emotional for many avid broadway enthusiasts and self-proclaimed “theatre kids”, the marketing campaign for this movie did not hold back. From themed barbies dolls (which led to a huge mishap on the url at the back of the box), to drinks, food and merchandise being themed with green and pink colour-scheme resonating with Elphaba (played by Cynthia Erivo) and Glinda (played by Ariana Grande). Perhaps the most notable aspect of this whole press tour is Erivo and Grande’s alarmingly emotional interactions with each other on press interviews; which has led to what is seemingly obscure and most endearingly confusing pop culture moment of the year: Holding Space to the lyrics of Defying Gravity.
Editor’s Analysis/Anecdote:
For those who haven’t been online enough, I urge you to experience this pop culture moment for what it truly is, as you may come out on the other side with a different endearing interpretation…either that, or you’d think I’m reaching. Nevertheless I can only go as far as describing “Holding Space” as something that although only has come to fruition in 2024, feels like it belongs in internet pop culture around 11 years ago when I was 13, and I would exchange obscurely idiosyncratic pop culture moments with my childhood friend Hamza; where we would refer a moment like this anecdotally, snicker about it at the mention of it, and really “hold space” with such a moment, should it have existed in 2013. Just like queer media insists “holding space with the lyrics of defying gravity”, I would like to take this moment to hold space with how this moment feels like it transcends time for me as a pop-culture fanatic, and how my friend Hamza introduced me to the realm of internet pop culture. You’re the best Hamza, Miss ya!
Hot Source’s Picks for Best Movies of 2024:
The Year of Lookalike Competitions
With the quintessentially viral momentum from the Timothée Chalamet lookalike contest in New York, came multiple offsprings of contests of the same nature. From a Dev Patel lookalike contest in San Francisco, to Jeremy Allen White/Carmen Berzatto naturally in Chicago, to the Harry Styles lookalike contest in London (covered by Hot Source Magazine on our TikTok) to something as astounding as the UnitedHealth CEO shooter (Luigi Mangione) lookalike contest.
With the year being so difficult for many, both politically and economically, it’s no wonder that people are pining for escapism through the means of creating their own community based events to nerd out over their favourite celebrities. It’s all in good fun, a lightheartedness needed for a year with such tiringly high stakes.
Some More 2024 Moments in Brief:
CEO of United Health Care was Assassinated by Luigi Mangione which sparked a huge criticism on the dire shortcomings within the American healthcare insurance systems. Mangione was found not guilty on a state trial, with the federal trial taking place in January
Oasis got back together and Announced their tour for 2025
Rishi Sunak announced a snap election over the summer, in the middle of the pouring rain; it doesn’t get any more British than this. Kier Starmer’s Labour Party won with a landslide majority
Labour Party (UK) had the first ever female Chancellor of the Exchequer, Rachel Reeves, announce the autumn budget post election win
Assassination Attempts were made on Donald Trump twice ahead of the US Elections.
Joe Biden stepped down from the presidential race not long after the first primaries debate, passing over the mantle to Kamala Harris.
Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy announced to lead "Department of Government Efficiency," or DOGE following Trump’s second term win in the presidential race
18 year-old Gukesh Dommaraju became the world’s youngest chess champion
ICC has issued arrest warrants for Netanyahu, Gallant and Hamas Coordinators over war crimes
Blake Lively is sueing Justin Baldoni on grounds of sexual harassment and reputational damage
BBC Broadcast Presenter Huw Edwards was sentenced for possessing indecent images of Children, but was only given a six-month prison sentence, suspended for two years
UK race riots: Riots with heavy sentiments of anti-immigration erupted in the streets of UK during the summer, following the murder of three children in Southport, resulting in an online disinformation campaign by far-right figures and politicians to generate and justify violent behaviour and racism towards asylum seekers and ethnic minorities.
Jake Paul (27) beat former undisputed world heavyweight champion Mike Tyson (58) by unanimous decision in an eight-round heavyweight match at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas. The fight was streamed on Netflix with a reported 60 million households tuning in around the world.