Events that shaped the world in 2024

As 2024 draws to a close, we reflect on the events that captivated the globe, sparked conversations, and dominated headlines. These ten defining moments of 2024 highlight the power of mainstream media and social discussions in shaping public discourse.

Trump returns to White House

On November 5, Donald Trump has won the presidency, lurching America’s center of power to the right after defeating Kamala Harris in a tumultuous race that set the nation on edge — and that ultimately will make the 45th president the 47th, too.

His return to power was fueled by widespread dissatisfaction with Washington and the state of the country, including with the rising cost of living, and by a campaign that demonized migrants and the U.S. justice system while rallying the working class and men.

Trump has become only the second U.S. president to regain the office after losing it — returning to the White House after being defeated four years ago and campaigning since then on promises to punish his political enemies. He’ll enter office at a time of deep cultural and political division, after overperforming his 2020 margins across the map.

India election 2024: Modi wins third term

Modi’s reelection to a third term as prime minister in 2024 parallels the achievement of India’s first prime minister, Jawaharlal Nehru, who also served three consecutive terms. This milestone solidifies Modi’s political legacy, highlighting his sustained popularity and unwavering support from the BJP and its allies. His extended mandate paves the way for ongoing economic reforms, infrastructure development, social welfare improvements, and national security measures. Securing a third term underscores Modi’s adeptness in navigating diverse regional dynamics and securing broad electoral support, establishing him as a transformative figure in India’s socio-political fabric.

However, this term marks his first experience leading a coalition government, with key allies like the Janata Dal (United) of Bihar, led by Nitish Kumar, and the Telugu Desam Party of Andhra Pradesh, led by Chandrababu Naidu. Modi’s new term is poised to face significant challenges in navigating diverse regional interests and a robust opposition, particularly in forging consensus on contentious political and policy matters.

Fall of Bashar Al Assad

Syrian President Bashar Assad fled the country on December 8, bringing to a dramatic close his nearly 14-year struggle to hold onto control as his country fragmented in a brutal civil war that became a proxy battlefield for regional and international powers.

The exit of the 59-year-old Assad stood in stark contrast to his first months as Syria’s unlikely president in 2000, when many hoped he would be a young reformer after three decades of his father’s iron grip. At age 34, the Western-educated ophthalmologist appeared as a geeky tech-savvy fan of computers with a gentle demeanor.

But when faced with protests of his rule that erupted in March 2011, Assad turned to the brutal tactics of his father to crush dissent. As the uprising hemorrhaged into an outright civil war, he unleashed his military to blast opposition-held cities, with support from allies Iran and Russia.

Israeli invasion of Lebanon

On 1 October 2024, Israel invaded Southern Lebanon, marking the sixth Israeli invasion of Lebanon since 1978. The invasion took place after nearly 12 months of Israel–Hezbollah conflict. On 26 November, Israel and Lebanon signed a ceasefire agreement, mediated by France and the United States. The ceasefire went into effect on 27 November, though some attacks continue. Israel has reported 56 of its soldiers and 3,500 Hezbollah militants killed in the invasion, while the Lebanese government has reported Israel killing 2,720 people in Lebanon, mostly civilians.

Prior to the incursions, Israel conducted major attacks in Lebanon including an attack on pagers and electronic devices, and assassination of Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah.

Impeachment of South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol

On 14 December 2024, Yoon Suk Yeol, the president of South Korea, was impeached by the National Assembly. This action came in response to Yoon's declaration of martial law on 3 December, which was overturned by the National Assembly and officially withdrawn six hours later on 4 December.

The motion marks the third impeachment of a South Korean president: Roh Moo-hyun was impeached in 2004 but acquitted by the Constitutional Court, while Park Geun-hye was impeached in 2016 and subsequently convicted and removed from office in 2017 after the Constitutional Court's confirmation.

Mexico gets first ever Jewish female President

Claudia Sheinbaum, a climate scientist and former mayor of Mexico City, won her nation’s elections on June 3 in a landslide victory that brought a double milestone: She became the first woman, and the first Jewish person, to be elected president of Mexico.
Sheinbaum, a leftist, campaigned on a vow to continue the legacy of Mexico’s current president and her mentor, Andrés Manuel López Obrador, which delighted their party’s base — and raised alarm among detractors. The election was seen by many as a referendum on his leadership, and her victory was a clear vote of confidence in López Obrador and the party he started.

Sri Lanka gets new left-leaning president

Anura Kumara Dissanayake, a Marxist-leaning politician with no political lineage, was elected as Sri Lanka's president on September 22. He won a comprehensive victory in the debt-ridden South Asian country's presidential election.

Dissanayake, popularly known as AKD, polled 1.27 million votes more than nearest rival and main opposition leader Sajith Premadasa. Incumbent President Ranil Wickremesinghe finished third.

Dissanayake ran as candidate for the National People's Power (NPP) alliance, which includes his JVP that traditionally championed Marxist economic policies centered on protectionism and state intervention.

UK General Election: Labour’s victory redefined British politics

The British political landscape was turned upside down on July 4, with Labour's landslide victory ending 14 years of Conservative government. Labour leader Keir Starmer, 61, became the 58th British prime minister. He is only the fifth from the left-wing party founded in 1900 to lead his opposition party to Downing Street, after Ramsay McDonald, Clement Attlee, Harold Wilson and Tony Blair.

With at least 410 MPs elected – the majority in the House of Commons stands at 326 seats – the victory of Labour and Starmer – a lawyer with a brilliant career who entered politics only nine years ago, but who was re-elected on July 4 in the central London constituency of Holborn and St Pancras – is as historic as that of Blair in 1997, albeit under very different conditions.

Floods turn Sahara into an ocean

In a startling turn of events that has captured global attention, parts of the Sahara Desert – the world’s largest hot desert – have experienced severe flooding. This rare phenomenon has transformed vast stretches of usually parched landscape into temporary lakes and flowing streams, challenging our perceptions of one of the planet’s most iconic arid regions.

In early October 2024, unusually heavy rainfall hit several regions of the Sahara, particularly affecting areas in southern Algeria, northern Mali, and parts of Niger.

With over 1 000 dead and 3 million displaced, including 700 000 in Niger and another 400 000 in northern Nigeria. The material damage was also high.

Pakistan: Pro-Imran Khan protests take deadly turn

On November 27, protests erupted in Islamabad as supporters of jailed former Prime Minister Imran Khan breached barricades, leading to clashes that killed six people, injured dozens, and intensified Pakistan’s political turmoil.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif accused protesters of causing the soldiers' deaths by ramming paramilitary troops with vehicles.

The protesters, led by Khan’s wife Bushra Bibi, demanded his release and the government’s resignation.