Kathmandu, Dec 29: As 2024 comes to a close, the year has been marked by crises, conflicts, and climate challenges across the globe. Here’s a summary of major events that shaped the year:

Middle East Conflict:

• The aftermath of Hamas’s October 2023 attack on Israel continues to reverberate.
• Israel’s offensive in Gaza has resulted in over 45,000 Palestinian deaths. Despite significant military actions, including targeting Hamas leaders and conducting airstrikes on Iran and Hezbollah, Israel’s objectives remain partially unmet.
• Syrian President Bashar al-Assad fled to Moscow amid a coup by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham.

Russia-Ukraine Conflict:

• Ukraine’s surprise offensive in the Kursk region failed to achieve its goals.
• Russia escalated its attacks, including hypersonic missile strikes, while Ukraine used Western-supplied missiles on Russian territory for the first time.
• North Korean troops joined Russian forces, transforming the conflict into a global one.

Sudanese Civil War:

• The ongoing civil war between SAF and RSF has displaced 11 million people and caused tens of thousands of deaths. A famine has been declared in Darfur.

Donald Trump’s Comeback:

• Trump secured a decisive victory over Kamala Harris in the U.S. presidential election, signaling a return to “America First” policies.

Climate Change Crisis:

• 2024 is the hottest year on record, with the average global temperature exceeding 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels for the first time.
• Natural disasters, including record droughts, hurricanes, typhoons, and Mediterranean storms, caused devastation worldwide.

As the year ends, the world reflects on these pivotal events and their far-reaching consequences.