The Wall Street Journal

The Biggest News Stories of 2024

A lot happened in this year, from wars to the election to AI. Here’s a timeline, including some of the year’s best photos.

The Micropolitics of Family Gift Giving

The real holiday drama is the family gift-giving quagmire

Jimmy Carter, Former U.S. President and Nobel Peace Prize Winner, Dies at 100

Single White House term was marked by Iran hostage crisis and economic problems; later humanitarian work was recognized with the Nobel Peace Prize

Brush With Russia in Baltic Points to New Flashpoint in NATO-Moscow Shadow War

Sabotage, warning shots, disruption of air traffic and dangerous military maneuvering are all part of intensifying clandestine campaign in Europe, officials say

When ‘Middle Age’ Arrives in Your 20s

Stress is making young people feel older, with mounting concerns about job security, debt, child-care costs and caregiving

South Korean Plane Crash Kills 179, Leaves Two Survivors

Flight operated by Jeju Air had departed from Bangkok with 175 passengers and six crew members aboard

Putin Apologizes Over ‘Tragic Incident’ Involving Crashed Plane

Russian leader’s phone call to Azerbaijan’s president stopped short of acknowledging responsibility for the crash that killed 38

To Cope With Dementia, Seniors Are Turning to Cannabis

While marijuana can help calm agitation, there are risks

The Epic Mess at TGI Fridays

The chain that spread happy hour and family dining across America has vacated its headquarters and left bills unpaid. One restaurant owner sees a revival plan.

Azerbaijan Airlines Says Deadly Crash Caused by ‘External Interference’

Strongest statement yet to support suspicions plane was downed by Russian air-defense system

Germany Opened Its Doors to Migrants. Now It’s Struggling to Cope.

Even before Christmas market attack, nation was straining under influx; economy needs new workers

The Seven Objects I’d Choose to Let Future Generations Know Who I Was

What do I want my children or grandchildren or great-grandchildren to understand about me? These items will tell them more than any photo album ever could.

Behind Closed Doors: The Spy World Scientists Who Argued Covid Was a Lab Leak

The idea that the pandemic’s origins lie with a research facility in China was once labeled a conspiracy theory

Dozens Dead in Airliner Crash ‘Likely’ Caused by Russian Air Defenses

Ukraine and aviation experts rejected other explanations for an Azerbaijan Airlines crash that killed at least 38 people

It Was a Bad Year for the World’s Autocrats

Regimes in Syria and Bangladesh fell, marking unexpected defeats against a rising tide of authoritarianism in the world

As Fertility Rates Fall, Some Scientists Say Everyday Chemicals Are a Factor

Concerns grow about so-called endocrine disrupters, found in everything from plastic packaging to toys and cosmetics

The Milan Olympics Has a Backup Location. It’s in Upstate New York.

Organizers are in a race against the clock to complete a track for bobsled, luge, and skeleton for the 2026 Winter Games. Should they fall short, those events will take place in Lake Placid, N.Y.

Tracking Putin’s Most Feared Secret Agency—From Inside a Russian Prison and Beyond

The spy unit that arrested a Wall Street Journal reporter is leading the biggest campaign of internal repression since the Stalin era

From Fox News to NBC, Legacy Media Wants In on TikTok

Some big brands have been slow to join the platform but now are experimenting with ways to reach a new audience