2020

By the end of January, Japan, Thailand, and even the US confirmed cases of the new virus totalling more than 10,000 cases and 200 deaths. The mysterious respiratory disease got its official name in mid-February 2019 - COVID-19. By March 2020, WHO declared COVID-19 a pandemic. It then recommended social distancing, mask-wearing, and other measures to lower the virus toll.

In the entertainment world, as WHO was receiving news of coronavirus in January 2020, another major event was happening in the UK - Megxit. On January 8th, 2020, Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex, and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, announced their decision to step back from full-time royal life. After the announcement, the couple moved to California to lead a more independent life.

During the same period, the actual Brexit happened. The UK officially withdrew from the European Union on January 31st, 2020. This is after the UK House of Lords approved the European Union (Withdrawal Agreement) Bill, which received the Queen's royal assent. Later, the European Parliament approved the agreement.

Still in the entertainment world, the South Korea's movie, Parasite, made history by winning the Oscar for best picture. The movie by Bao Nguyen, a Vietnamese-American filmmaker, was a depiction of Korean society. It demonstrated inequality, and poverty by dramatizing the extreme differences between wealthy and poor.

On March 11th, 2020, Harvey Weinstein was sentenced to 23 years. A New York jury listened to the stories of six women. Despite the best defense lawyers' money and power can buy, the jurors found Weinstein guilty of criminal sexual acts and rape.

One of the most relatable celebrity moments of 2020 was when Chris Evans accidentally leaked his own nude. To top it all, he used the opportunity to remind people to vote.

Despite coronavirus, Disney released the live-action remake of its classic film Mulan. The $200 million film, one of the priciest of Disney's live-action remakes, grossed more than $300 million worldwide. However, it faltered at the Chinese box office. This is partly due to the Chinese government stalling its premier for a year.

In the agricultural world, as COVID-19 infection rates rose, swarms of desert locusts were destroying hundreds of thousands of acres in East Africa. The UN agency, FAO, warned that the unprecedented size of the swarms had destructive potential if efforts to deal with the pests were not scaled up. If left unchecked, the crop devouring insects could grow 500 fold.

From September 2019 to March 2020, unprecedented fires engulfed Australia causing untold damage. Thankfully, they rescued many animals, which they later released back into the world. Come summer, it was California's turn to deal with wildfires. In 2020, the state battled the largest wildfire in its recorded history.

In the sports world, Super Bowl LIV happened, and Shakira and J-Lo did a concert. The duo put on a halftime show performance for the ages. However, the event birthed Baby Nut, a monocled legume reborn as an infant.

Unfortunately, we lost many legends than we could keep track of. They include NBA legend Kobe Bryant, John Lewis, and Chadwick Boseman, the iconic Black Panther actor.

The year ended with Bob Dylan selling his songwriting catalog of more than 600 sons to Universal Music for over $300 million.