Four years ago, stories appeared questioning whether 2016 was the worst year ever. But 2020 had worst in store. Who knew that we had to go back to 1968 and live a year filled with as much turmoil. Apart from the global pandemic, the year 2020 was filled with many other significant events and highlights. Here are the top ten world events of 2020. Several of these events will continue into 2021 and beyond.
1. Australian Bushfires
In early 2020, Australia faced an unprecedented national crisis. Millions of hectares of land were burnt to the bushfires. The ecosystem suffered severely due to the calamity. Around one billion animals, including pets and livestock, have been killed in the bushfires tearing across rural areas and cities. About 30 people have lost their lives, and more than 1500 homes have been destroyed. The bushfire was fuelled by record-breaking temperatures and months of drought.
2. Antarctica’s Record-High Temperature
In another nightmarish incident, the World Meteorological Organisation witnessed a record-high temperature reading taken on Antarctica. It is one of the most alarming sign’s of the effects of global warming. The unusually high temperature was due to the rapid warming of air coming down from a mountain slope. Did you know that the Arctic is warming more than twice as fast as the rest of the globe?
3. Kobe Bryant’s Death
In early 2020, the death of the legendary Los Angeles Lakers player Kobe Bryant with his daughter and seven others on a helicopter crash broke millions of fans’ hearts. His death shook the sporting world. Within hours of his death, the world saw thousands gathering outside Staples Centre, where Bryant starred for the Lakers.
4. MEGXIT: Harry & Meghan Step Back
In early 2020, the world had seen another highly significant event. The Duke and Duchess of Sussex who was already under scrutiny by the media, announced that they would step back as senior members of the Royal Family. Prince Harry and Meghan sent shockwaves to international press when they said they intended to become financially independent and divide their time between the UK and Canada.
5. Stock Market Crash
The global pandemic made 2020 one of the worst years of 2020. It not only claimed lives but also drowned businesses and left many jobless. As numerous countries went into lockdown, a global recession was triggered. The stock market suffered its worst single-day point drop ever in March. Hyderabad Get Its First Bar Stock Exchange Called The Lal Street.
6. Black Lives Matter Protests
The police-involved killings of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor and Ahmad Arbery triggered worldwide outrage. Despite the pandemic, many gathered on the streets to protest the deaths. There have been riots across the world, demanding an end to racial injustice and police brutality.
7. Iran Shooting Down Ukrainian Commercial Plane
In another international controversy, Iran’s armed forces inadvertently fired two Russian anti-aircraft missiles at a Ukrainian commercial jetliner. The flight crashed after taking off from Tehran’s main airport. The unforgivable mistake killed 176 people on board. While Iran denied allegation initially, they claimed responsibility for the crash later.
8. Beirut Explosion
A video of the explosion in Beirut had gone viral on social media, leaving many curious with the cause of the massive explosion. The explosion in August at the Beirut port was caused due to the accidental detonation of 2,750 tons of ammonium nitrate. The intensity of the blast was so enormous that it killed 190 people and injured thousands of others.
9. US Presidential Elections
The world will remember the 2020 US presidential elections for the ugly slugfest between the Republican and Democratic camps. Joe Biden has become the 46th US President of the bitterly-fought polls that Donald Trump is yet to concede. On the other hand, Indian-origin Kamala Harris will become his Vice President.
10. COVID-19 Vaccine Rollout
If there is one thing the world has been impatiently waiting for, it is a COVID-19 vaccine. In a world’s first, Britain approved Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine. The UK became one of the first western countries to endorse a jab. All the vulnerable people of the UK will start getting vaccinated from early next week. The vaccine comes as a ray of hope amid the global pandemic’s gloom that killed nearly 1.5 million people globally and upended everyday life.
2020 had been a turbulent year in every sense. Let us hope for a better 2021.