2020: Major events in India and across the world
Many countries enforced strict lockdowns and shut down schools, colleges, offices, and other institutions to keep the pandemic in check.
World in the grip of Covid-19
Nothing more bizarre than a pandemic could have hit the world. 2020 was marked with millions of infections and deaths because of the Covid-19 pandemic, as the novel coronavirus spread all over the world. Many countries enforced strict lockdowns and shut down schools, colleges, offices, and other institutions to keep the pandemic in check. The world literally came to a halt. The World Health Organization referred to it as a pandemic on March 11, 2020. Though the outbreak started in China, it has now reached 191 countries and territories.
Locusts everywhere
Swarms of locusts laid siege to Delhi and the National Capital Region in July 2020. The locusts are known to pay a seasonal visit to certain areas of the country but in a pandemic-hit country, it took everyone by surprise. A similar locusts attack in West Africa also created a buzz this year, with many thinking of a Biblical plague.
US election
In November, the world turned its eyes towards the US presidential election which witnessed a neck-to-neck fight between Joe Biden and Donald Trump. In the race, Biden has been chosen as the next US president, effectively ending President Trump`s frenzied but failing attempt to overturn his loss in the November 3 election. Election results show Biden, the Democratic former vice president, won 306 electoral votes – exceeding the 270 needed to win – after four years under the Republican Trump. Biden and running mate Kamala Harris are due to take office on January 20.
Bushfires in Australia, US
The year 2020 saw many massive wildfires and forest fires around the world, including the Australian bushfires which started last year and continued until March, while the US state of California was also hit by blazes that left many dead. Australia faced one of its most devastating wildfire seasons as the blazes continued from December 2019 into the new year and burned a record 47 million acres, displaced thousands of people and killed at least 34 people.
Farmers’ protests
In the ongoing farmers’ protests, farmer leaders on December 14 went on a daylong hunger strike and their colleagues demonstrated in different parts of the country to push for a rollback of the new farm laws. Agriculturalists from multiple states in the north intensified their movement, particularly at Delhi’s gateways. The Singhu border, ground zero of the snowballing protests, saw hundreds blocking highways from Punjab, Haryana and Rajasthan leading to Delhi and thousands more dug in their heels at the various protest sites.
Abraham Accords Signed
A bright spot in 2020 came from the Middle East of all places. On August 13, the Trump administration announced it had helped broker a deal in which the United Arab Emirates (UAE) recognized Israel in return for Israel’s pledge to forgo, for the time being at least, annexing territory in the West Bank. On September 11, Bahrain announced it would join the deal. Four days later, Trump hosted a signing ceremony at the White House for the Abraham Accords and expressed hope that they would lead to “real peace in the Middle East.”
Covid hits major sporting events
The Covid-19 pandemic affected the sporting world hard in 2020. The biggest sporting event – the Olympic Games, was originally scheduled to be held from July 24 to August 9 this year, but the pandemic forced its postponement to 2021. Also Euro 2020, the mega football tournament which was lined up to take place from June 12 in 2020 across 12 nations in Europe was hit. The proposed new dates are from 11 June to 11 July 2021.
Meanwhile, the All England Lawn Tennis Club (ALETC) decided to cancel Wimbledon 2020 on April 1. The pandemic also forced the International Cricket Council to postpone the 2020 T20 World Cup was planned to take place in Australia between October 18 and November 15 this year.
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