The year 2024 can be described as transformational
The year 2024 can be described as transformational. Some events, without exaggeration, were shocking and significantly changed the global order. A Kazinform News Agency has compiled the most significant ones
S. presidential elections
The presidential race held on November 5 in the United States marked the return of Donald Trump, not only to American politics but also to the international stage. The 2024 election campaign will undoubtedly remain in history: Trump survived two assassination attempts, while his opponent, incumbent President Joe Biden, withdrew from the race several months before the vote.
As President of the United States, Trump will deal not only with the country’s economic state but also with efforts to resolve the Russian-Ukrainian conflict and the Middle East crisis. Additionally, the U.S. agenda includes nuclear issues with North Korea and Iran, as well as trade disputes with China and Mexico.
For American society, Trump’s second term means strict immigration policies and a revision of the environmental agenda. For other countries, it signals a departure from Washington’s traditional foreign policy.
Trump promises to cancel many environmental regulations, abandon mandatory quotas on electric vehicles, permit drilling for oil and gas on American soil, and reduce taxes.
Explosive roads and a wall between Koreas
In mid-October, North Korean authorities blew up sections of roads and railways connecting North and South Korea. The destroyed infrastructure was built with approximately $133 million in South Korean funds provided as loans at North Korea’s request. South Korea condemned the destruction and demanded the continuation of debt repayment despite the infrastructure’s destruction.
Satellite images taken during the summer revealed that North Korea is constructing sections of a wall along its border with South Korea. Barriers have already been built in three areas near the demilitarized zone, with a total length of about 1 km, located near the eastern end of the border.
The roads connecting the two countries were considered symbols of warming relations after the leaders met at the 2018 summit. According to experts, the roads have been closed for a long time, but their destruction indicates North Korea’s unwillingness to negotiate with South Korea.
China opens to investors
On November 1, China lifted all restrictions on foreign investments in the manufacturing sector. As a result, over the first nine months of the year, actual use of foreign investments in China’s manufacturing sector reached $25 billion, with $11 billion directed toward high-tech manufacturing.
Recent years have seen steady growth in foreign direct investments in high-tech manufacturing in China. From January to September, sectors such as medical equipment and instrument manufacturing, as well as computer and office equipment production, experienced a year-over-year increase in foreign investments by 57.3% and 29.2%, respectively.
Landing on the far side of the moon
In June, China’s Chang’e-6 spacecraft successfully landed in a pre-selected area on the far side of the Moon to collect valuable rock and soil samples using a drill and a robotic arm. On June 6, the probe delivered 2 kilograms of lunar samples to an orbital module, and by June 25, the spacecraft returned the samples to Earth, landing in Inner Mongolia. The mission lasted a total of 53 days. This makes Chinese astronauts the third in the world, after the U.S. and the Soviet Union, to successfully complete operations to collect samples from the Moon’s far side.
The samples will help scientists learn not only about the Moon’s origins but also about Earth’s, as the material was taken from an area containing the planet’s oldest crust, dating back over 4.4 billion years.
Google and Amazon acquire nuclear power plants
Google has signed an agreement with American startup Kairos Power to purchase energy generated by several small modular nuclear reactors, the first of which is planned to launch in 2030. This deal will provide up to 500 megawatts of electricity to the U.S. grid by 2035. Mike Laufer, CEO of Kairos Power, confirmed plans for six or seven reactors, each with a capacity of 75 megawatts.
Amazon also signed contracts for electricity supplies from nuclear power plants with several American companies. As part of a deal with Dominion Energy, a small modular nuclear reactor will be built in Virginia near an existing nuclear power plant, adding 300 megawatts of energy for the region.
In addition to Google and Amazon, Microsoft is showing interest in nuclear energy. In September, the owner of a decommissioned nuclear power plant on Three Mile Island announced plans to restart a reactor, enabling a 20-year energy supply agreement with Microsoft’s data centers.
Leadership changes in the auto industry
In September, German automaker Volkswagen announced that it is considering closing several plants in Germany to cut costs. Volkswagen’s challenges stem from high energy and labor costs, as well as fierce competition from Asian automakers, particularly Chinese manufacturers. Studies indicate that Volkswagen’s operating profit declined to $1.1 billion from $1.64 billion a year earlier.
It remains unclear which plants will be affected and how many of Volkswagen Group’s approximately 300,000 employees in Germany could lose their jobs.
The company’s management is proposing to close at least one car production plant and one parts manufacturing facility. If implemented, it would mark the first closure of a Volkswagen plant in Germany in the company’s 87-year history.
The "Doomsday Glacier" is rapidly melting
In Antarctica, the Thwaites Glacier, or “Doomsday Glacier” continues to melt at an accelerated pace. It is a critical segment of the West Antarctic Ice Sheet, with the world’s longest ocean contact boundary of about 120 km.
If global temperatures rise by even 1.5°C more, the glacier’s complete collapse could occur, triggering the loss of a significant portion of the ice sheet and raising global sea levels by up to 65 cm. Such a rise would threaten coastal areas in China, India, Bangladesh, and the Netherlands, while cities like New York, Kolkata, and Shanghai could be submerged.
Despite bleak forecasts, climatologists note that regular heavy snowfall in Antarctica could partially offset ice loss. However, they emphasize that reducing carbon emissions and stabilizing global temperatures remain the only effective solutions.
Brain chip implantation
In January, Elon Musk’s Neuralink successfully implanted a wireless chip into a human brain for the first time. The first patient, Noland Arbo, was able to play chess using only his thoughts. Arbo, paralyzed below the shoulders due to a diving accident, received a device the size of a coin implanted in his skull. It uses microscopic wires to read neuron activity and transmit signals wirelessly to a computer.
Although the procedure marked a historic breakthrough, it faced some challenges. The current cost of the device and its installation is $60,000, but this is expected to decrease if the procedure becomes widespread.
AI as a threat to the labor market
In May 2024, GPT-4o (omni) was introduced, taking ChatGPT’s capabilities to the next level. The system integrates various interaction types into a single platform, greatly enhancing efficiency. In September, OpenAI released “o1” a model that “thinks” before responding, crucial for solving complex scientific problems.
Studies indicate that AI has a high probability of replacing client services and routine professions, significantly reshaping the labor market.
The most expensive currency in the world
Bitcoin repeatedly set new all-time highs in 2024. In November, its value reached $74,890, and by mid-December, it soared past $106,000.
Other cryptocurrencies like Ethereum also saw growth, with Ethereum reaching $4,000 per unit.
An increasing number of countries are adopting cryptocurrencies as legal tender. The UAE introduced its first cryptocurrency, AE Coin, this year. Donald Trump has also expressed intentions to make the U.S. the global cryptocurrency capital.
Photo, сollage credit: iwmes.hse.ru, Jay Ruzesky, Kazinform; Agenzia Nova, Yonhap, CCTV, Canva; © volkswagen-newsroom.com, Neuralink,Freepik.com, bitcoinmagazine.
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