Red emperor: Xi Jinping further tightened his grip on power with the National Congress of the Chinese Communist Party once again electing him general secretary. Set for an unprecedented third term as Chinese President from March 2023, Xi turned aggressive on reunification with Taiwan, with Chinese bombers indulging in many airspace violations. His insistence on zero-Covid policy brought the Chinese economy to a near-standstill and sparked a rare widespread anti-government protest, forcing a rollback. The China-US ties worsened further with few signs of amends in the new year.
Fed up: In June, consumer prices soared 9.1 per cent YoY in the US, the biggest yearly increase since 1981. In the fight against inflation, the Jerome Powell-led Federal Reserve, through the year, was forced to raise its benchmark interest rate to the highest level in 15 years, even though a recession loomed over the US. The situation was similar for the UK, Japan, and the EU. Emerging markets, too, followed suit and the trend is likely to continue in 2023.
Stellar showing: James Webb Space Telescope observed the atmospheres of distant planets, galaxy light bent by unseen dark matter, and clouds of gas and dust in stellar nurseries. It unveiled galaxies formed when the universe was only 350 million years old, just 2 per cent of its current age. Also, in the first such test of planetary defence against near-Earth objects, Nasa’s DART spacecraft hit its target asteroid, Dimorphos, which the investigation team claimed successfully altered the space rock’s orbit.
Political swing: Though Imran Khan lost Pakistan prime ministership to Shehbaz Sharif, the former cricketer remained popular on the electoral front as his party managed to win a number of polls. Khan also survived a “clear assassination attempt” when he was shot in the shin during an anti-government protest. He often alleged a US-backed conspiracy against his government and targeted then Army chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa, who finally retired and handed over the charge of the 600,000-strong nuclear-armed force to General Asim Munir.
End of an era: Reigning for 70 years and 214 days, the longest-serving British monarch, Queen Elizabeth II, passed away on September 8 at the age of 96. Her son Charles III — the longest-serving heir apparent — took over as king of the UK and 14 other Commonwealth realms. At 73, he became the oldest person to accede to the British throne.
Women versus clergy: The death of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini in police custody for allegedly violating Iran’s hijab law triggered an unrest. Women expressed anger by chopping their hair off and refusing to wear the headscarf. At least 458 people are said to have been killed, so far, in the unrest.
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