THE year 2024, which was a leap year but saw tumultuous moments and historic events including conflict, elections, governments toppling and the demise of prominent personalities, has finally come to an end. Let us take a bird’s eye view of the noteworthy events in 2024. In May, Earth experienced its most intense geomagnetic storm since 1989, causing widespread disruptions to satellites, power grids and communication systems. The Atlantic hurricane season added to the year’s challenges, ranking among the costliest on record, with damages nearing $200 billion.
Donald Trump was found guilty of 34 felony counts of falsified business records. The former US President became the first current or former President to be convicted of criminal charges. He was declared culpable of falsifying documents to cover up hush money payments to former adult film star Stormy Daniels during the run-up to the 2016 presidential election. People in more than 60 countries—representing almost 50 percent of the world’s population—went to the polls in 2024. Bangladesh held sham and rigged elections, however, on August 5, the people of Bangladesh, motivated by a student’s movement, toppled the reign of Sheikh Hasina Wajed, who had been the head of state for over a decade and a half. An interim government led by Nobel laureate Muhammad Younus replaced her.
Elections were also held in Pakistan, the results of which were challenged, leading to mass protests, chaos and mayhem. India, which claims to be the largest democracy in the world, also went to polls where extremist leader Narendra Modi won a record third term, albeit with a reduced margin. Vladimir Putin won the Russian presidential election again, grabbing 88 percent of the votes.
Keir Starmer, leader of the Labour Party, became the prime minister of the United Kingdom, replacing Rishi Sunak of the Conservative Party. South Africa’s 2024 national election marks the first time the African National Congress, the ruling party since 1994 (when the first election by universal suffrage was held after the fall of apartheid), was unable to win a majority in the National Assembly and had to form a government with other political parties. After 52 years on the throne, Danish Queen Margrethe II of Denmark abdicated in favour of her eldest son, Crown Prince Frederik.
Iranian hard-line President Ebrahim Raisi died suddenly in a helicopter crash. Masoud Pezeshkian, the most reform-oriented President in decades, was elected to replace him in July. Claudia Sheinbaum was sworn in as Mexico’s first female president–and the first Jewish person to hold the post. Donald Trump won the US presidential election, defeating Vice President Kamala Harris. He is the first convicted felon to be elected to the office and the second president to win a second non-consecutive term. China’s lunar probe Chang’e 6 returned to Earth, carrying the first samples from the far side of the Moon. The Paris Olympics were held with pomp and grandeur.
Eastern Spain experienced massive flooding after heavy rains; more than 200 people were killed. Enraged flood victims—blaming the authorities for negligence—hurled mud at the King, when he came to assess the damages. On November 19, the world marked 1,000 days since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. At least 30,000 Ukrainians have been killed in action and more than 700,000 Russian troops have been killed or wounded in combat. Meanwhile, the war in Gaza entered its second year, with Israel continuing to wreak havoc on helpless Palestinian children. The war got extended, when Israel attacked Lebanon, however, on November 26, US President Joe Biden announced a ceasefire deal meant to end hostilities between Hezbollah and Israel. The deal largely follows the guidelines of UN Resolution 1701, which ended the 2006 Lebanon War but whose provisions were never fully implemented. The International Criminal Court requested arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defence Minister Yoav Gallant, as well as three HAMAS leaders, for alleged crimes against humanity in Gaza.
On December 5, Bitcoin’s value surpassed $100,000 for the first time. Before the year ended, another despot lost his right to rule. On December 8, after 13 years of civil war in Syria, Bashar al-Assad was ousted as the country’s leader. His attempt to repress the uprising against his rule included brutal tactics, most infamously the use of chemical weapons. He sought refuge in Moscow. Sweden’s entry into NATO strengthened the alliance, while the European Union made history by implementing the first-ever regulations for artificial intelligence.
Despite the obstacles, there was reason for hope. Groundbreaking medical trials, like the world’s first mRNA lung cancer vaccine, offered a glimpse into a healthier future. The FDA expanded the approval of semaglutide (Wegovy) to include heart disease, making it the first weight-loss drug to be approved for reducing the risk of cardiovascular events in adults who have cardiovascular disease and are either obese or overweight. Google unveiled a quantum chip that completes 33.3 trillion years of calculations in 1 nanosecond. Willow, as the new chip was named, is one of the largest technological breakthroughs of 2024, with scientists unable to call it anything other than “mindboggling.” The ruins of an ancient lost city were discovered in eastern Ecuador. It’s estimated that the city, which lies in Ecuador’s Upano area, was built around 2,500 years ago. The extent of the city suggests the presence of a society as large, or larger than the Aztecs or Mayans.
Madonna ended her “Celebration” world tour with a free concert in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. 1.6 million people attended the historic concert at Rio’s Copacabana beach, with some superfans waiting in place for days to get a good spot near the front. Beyoncé received her 99th Grammy nomination, becoming the most nominated artist in Grammy history. Taylor Swift’s introspective and poetic album “Midnights” captivated the music world in 2024, earning her the Grammy Award for Album of the Year and showcasing her evolution as a formidable singer-songwriter. Let us hope and pray that 2025 will be less tumultuous than 2024 and usher in peace in the territories embroiled in strife and conflict.
—The writer, Retired Group Captain of PAF, is author of several books on China.
(sultanm.hali@gmail.com)
