As we reminisce about the global news in 2024 we noticed a reoccurring trend of chaos – a theme reflected by the myriad of conspiracy theories that consumed the royal family, the failed assassination attempt on Trump, and the lasting war in Ukraine. Cap this off with an immense global cybersecurity failure that wreaked havoc on millions of computers and the escalating tensions between Iran and Israel, and you’ve got an image of a world on the brink. Cue the arrival of January, the embers of the new year were announcing a respite for the Princess of Wales, who was set to withdraw from royal obligations due to an unidentified and non-cancerous abdominal ailment. Prince William was pictured providing solace, visiting his enfeebled wife in the hospital, submerged in whispers of her favourable recovery.
Simultaneously, King Charles III was readying himself for a benign medical operation to counter his enlarged prostate. His retreat from the limelight of public engagements hinted at the severity of his predicament and the ensuing need for recovery. Clearly, the health issues plaguing the monarch and the princess triggered a series of probing inquiries about what the royal family intends for the public to know about its intimate affairs. Come the end of March, we learnt of the Princess of Wales’ battle with cancer as she entered the early phase of her treatment, marking a difficult chapter for the typically untroubled royal family.
In a rather dramatic turn of events in Baltimore, Maryland, the 3km-long Key Bridge took an unexpected dive into the water following a catastrophic collision with a cargo ship. Before the collapse, traffic included a mixed assortment of cars and a large tractor-trailer. According to a Baltimore City Fire Department spokesperson, the bridge’s collapse was categorized as a disaster of a considerable scale. Undoubtedly, labelled as a ‘mayday’ situation, the frantic efforts to restrain individuals from using the bridge were a literal lifesaver.
Meanwhile, Israeli Defence Minister Yoav Gallant unveiled a strategic vision for Gaza’s future government setup once the incessant war with Hamas reached its conclusion. Gallant revealed a planned curbing of Palestinian rule in the area and the complete dismantling of the control wielded by Hamas, while affirming that Israel would maintain overall security jurisdiction. Srict enforcement of such governance milestone withdraws Hamas from the equation, a wishful thinking that is openly anti-Palestinian.
As we approached the end of the year in December, this war had mercilessly dragged on for 14 long months to a devastating toll of over 44,000 Palestinian lives, as reported by the authorities in Gaza. A historical episode of Israeli-Palestinian violence erupted with Hamas’ invasion of Israel on October 7th, 2023, leading to the tragic loss of 1200 lives and abduction of over 250 hostages back to Gaza.
During a similar timeframe in mid-March, the LATAM Airlines Group reported a severe technical issue with Flight LA800, which resulted in a major jolt during a flight from Sydney to Auckland. Further into April, Iran carried out a strike against Israel by proliferation of explosive drones and missile fire, in what was deemed a retaliative assault. This action brought about an increased potential for extended regional disaster and unyielding US support for Israel.
In a shocking incident in April, six individuals lost their lives in a knife attack at Westfield Bondi Junction mall in the eastern vicinity of Sydney. Among the victims, five succumbed at the location while the sixth breathed their last battling injuries in the hospital. In a gruesome total, nine victims, including a small child, fell prey to the man’s fatal rampage on that fateful day. The attacker’s aggression was brought to an abrupt end by a police officer, who shot him dead at the site.
July welcomed a technological nightmare with a global tech failure that subsequently disabled an approximate 8.5 million computers worldwide. This disruption sent a wave of turmoil across everything from transportation to healthcare systems. A cybersecurity company, CrowdStrike, was found responsible for the pandemonium-inducing glitch that emerged from a flawed software update dispatched to its vast customer base.
In an unforeseen event in September, simultaneous detonations of pagers used by Hezbollah members resulted in the tragic death of nine people and injury to close to 3000 across Lebanon. The initial blasts kicked off in the afternoon on September 18 in Dahiyeh, a southern suburb of Beirut, and the eastern Bekaa valley – key strongholds of Hezbollah. The blasts continued for about an hour, residents and eyewitnesses reported hearing the sounds of explosion till 4:30 pm.
In the melee of a global upheaval, November saw Donald Trump reclaim presidency, insinuating Democratic nominee Vice President Kamala Harris proved to be facile competition. His rhetoric, characterized by recurrent dark undertones, served to further divide an already polarized nation. Despite the election loss, Harris exhibited her spirit of resilience and commitment to a peaceful power transition, an attempt at portraying a rare positive stance in a regrettable context.
Throughout his campaign, Trump fostered his intent to dismiss special counsel Jack Smith and terminate federal cases against him. Some accusations against him were grave, involving the rigging of the 2020 presidential election and the mishandling of classified documents. Some found it concerning that amidst these controversies, a convicted felon like Trump was yet to be sentenced in his hush money case in New York and was still successfully evading prosecution in several other state and federal cases.
In a surprising turn, special counsel Jack Smith decided to drop the federal election manipulation and classified document handling cases against Trump by the end of November. He was seen advocating for the dismissal of these cases through court filings. The intent behind such a move was a mystery that sparked many a conspiracy theory.
In a much-awaited move for peace, a ceasefire took effect between Israel and Hezbollah in Lebanon towards the end of November. This came after over a year of intense combat that resulted in the loss of countless lives. Many viewed this truce with hope, looking forward to an end to warfare that caused distress and displacement for numerous Israelis and a significantly higher number of individuals in Lebanon.