Search for Brian Laundrie
The search is on for Brian Laundrie, fiance of the late Gabby Petito, whose remains were found in Wyoming’s Bridger-Teton National Forest on Sunday, September 26. Petito was reported missing on September 11, ten days after Laundrie returned to his parent’s home in Florida without her from their road trip through the West. Police have been focusing their search on Florida’s Carlton Reserve. The intense media spotlight on the case has brought up the question of how race and gender impact the sensationalism of missing persons cases.
UN General Assembly 76
The 76th session of the UN General Assembly, held in New York City from September 14 to September 27, focused heavily on COVID-19 and climate change. The theme of the General Debate included pandemic recovery and post-pandemic forward momentum to rebuild sustainably and respect human rights. Highlights include an ambitious speech by President Biden, in which he asserted America’s commitment to “relentless diplomacy” and more open foreign policy. This rhetoric was received with skepticism by the EU, as it followed the messy withdrawal of US troops from Afghanistan, secret security pact with the UK and Australia, and submarine deal with Australia which ousted France.
TikTok trend vandalizes schools
“Devious licks,” a recent TikTok trend, has wreaked much havoc in schools across the country. The trend encourages students to vandalize or steal school property, most often occurring in bathrooms. This has prompted some schools to partially or completely close bathrooms throughout the school day, which has severely inconvenienced students. TikTok’s efforts to remove flagged videos, in conjunction with said strategies by schools, have led to an overall decrease in “devious” activities.
Tony Awards fall short
The 74th Tony Awards were held on September 26, following a postponement of more than fifteen months due to the pandemic. Despite receiving twelve nominations, critically-acclaimed Slave Play was snubbed, while Moulin Rouge! The Musical won ten prizes, including best musical. Best play was awarded to The Inheritance, while best play revival went to A Soldier’s Play. Although featuring a new concert special in addition to the awards ceremony, the show failed to garner much popular interest, receiving the all-time lowest viewership at 2.62 million, 51% down from 2019.
Met Gala provides a platform
After a hiatus of over a year, the 2021 Met Gala, held on September 13 in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, called for a celebration of American independence and provided a voice for attendees. Singer Billie Eilish was dressed in Oscar de la Renta on the condition that they stop using fur in their products. Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez wore a dress emblazoned with the words “Tax the Rich.” “Fashion’s biggest night out,” however, seemed not so big in critics’ eyes, as the majority of attendees deviated from the American theme, resulting in a haphazard collection of well-dressed stars rather than a cohesive statement on fashion.
