2020 most popular events all over the world

 

Australian bushfires

The country 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.

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle quit royal family

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex shocked both sides of the pond on Jan. 8 when they announced they were stepping down as “senior” royals.

 

COVID-19 pandemic

The World Health Organization announced Jan. 9 that a deadly coronavirus had emerged in Wuhan, China. In a matter of months, the virus has spread across the globe to more than 20 million people, resulting in at least 751,000 deaths.

Impeachment of President Donald Trump

The president faced an impeachment trial in January on charges that he asked Ukraine to investigate former Vice President Joe Biden and his son Hunter. He was ultimately acquitted by the Senate on Feb. 5.

"Parasite" sweeps the Oscars

Bong Joon Ho’s film took home the most awards, landing Best Picture, Best Director, Best Original Screenplay and Best International Feature Film on Feb. 9. It marked the first time a non-English-language movie won Best Picture.

 

Stock market crash 2020

The coronavirus pandemic triggered a global recession as numerous countries went into lockdown. The Dow Jones industrial average suffered its worst single-day point drop ever on March 9.

 

Black Lives Matter protests

The police-involved killings of George Floyd, Ahmaud Arbery and Breonna Taylor this year sparked a wave of peaceful — and sometimes violent — demonstrations and riots across the world to demand an end to police brutality and racial injustice.

More protests erupted in August when 29-year-old Jacob Blake was shot by a Kenosha, Wisconsin, cop and paralyzed from the waist down.

Kim Jong Un death rumors

The North Korean supreme leader fueled speculation that he was either gravely ill or dead after he missed events commemorating his grandfather Kim Il-sung on April 15. He reemerged 20 days later in photos released by state media at a ribbon-cutting ceremony.

The despot, however, faced a new wave of skepticism over his health in August when a South Korean official claimed all of the appearances were faked and he was in a vegetative state.

 

Beirut explosion

A massive explosion at a Beirut port, sparked Aug. 4 by the accidental detonation of 2,750 tons of ammonium nitrate, killed at least 190 people and injured thousands of others.

Chadwick Boseman's death

“Black Panther” actor Chadwick Boseman died at age 43 after a four-year battle with colon cancer. His death on Aug. 28 shocked fans, since he had completed several blockbuster films while keeping his diagnosis private.

West Coast wildfires

Deadly wildfires erupted from California to Washington state, burning millions of acres and displacing hundreds of thousands of people since mid-August.

Joe Biden becomes president-elect

Joe Biden became the 46th president of the United States on Nov. 7, defeating President Trump with a critical assist from his birth state, Pennsylvania, which delivered the votes to propel him to victory and end one of the most contentious elections in recent memory.

COVID-19 vaccine rollout

The first Americans were vaccinated against the coronavirus Dec. 14 after the US Food and Drug Administration approved the emergency use of Pfizer’s COVID-19 shot on Dec. 11. The country’s second inoculation, developed by Moderna, was then given FDA approval a week later on Dec. 18 — with states receiving the jab Dec. 21. The arrival of the two vaccines, which were developed in less than a year, was touted as one of the greatest scientific accomplishments in US history.