The year 2019 has been a roller coaster ride for some people, with so much happening all across the globe. However, some news stories stood out from the rest.
Here are 10 news stories that shocked the world in 2019.
Same-sex marriage becomes legal in Austria
The Constitutional Court of Austria legalized marriage between same-sex couples. In a 2017 ruling, the court said that same-sex couples should have the right to marry starting January 1, 2019. Nicole Kopaunik and Daniela Paier, who have been engaged for four years, became the first same-sex couple to get married in the predominantly Catholic country.
Qatar leaves OPEC
After more than 50 years of membership, Qatar has decided to leave the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC). In December 2018, Qatar’s Minister of Energy Saad Sherida al-Kaabi announced that the country would withdraw from OPEC and that the decision was purely strategic and had nothing to do with politics.
Hurricane Dorian ravages the Bahamas
The deadly Hurricane Dorian was a category 5 tropical storm that reached sustained winds of 185 mph. It is considered the most powerful storm in history to ever hit the Bahamas, leaving at least 43 people dead and numerous people missing days after it passed.
Pope Francis makes first-ever papal visit to Arabian Peninsula
Pope Francis became the first pope in history to visit the Arabian Peninsula after traveling to the city of Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates. Francis went there to participate in a conference on Christian-Muslim relations sponsored by the Emirates-based Muslim Council of Elders and to hold mass at the Abu Dhabi sports arena for the Catholic community there.
Alibaba chairman Jack Ma retires
Jack Ma retired as chairman of Alibaba Group after leading the company to success for 20 years. Celebrating his 55th birthday, Ma announced his retirement in Hangzhou, where Alibaba is based, and thanked employees as well as predicted a smooth change in leadership with Daniel Zhang as chief executive officer (CEO).
Ma said “Today’s is not Jack Ma’s retirement. It’s the start of passing on our system to another generation. This is not one person’s choice. It shows the success of our system.”
Macedonia changes name to North Macedonia
The Republic of Macedonia officially changed its name to Republic of North Macedonia, ending a decades-long dispute with Greece and preparing itself for integration into the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) and the European Union. The government said that practical adjustments will be made gradually, such as installing new road signs and updating passports and currency.
Ethiopian Airlines plane crash
The Nairobi-bound Ethiopian Airlines Flight 302 crashed several minutes after taking off from Addis Ababa Bole International Airport on March 10, killing all 157 people onboard. This was the second plane crash involving a Boeing 737 Max 8 aircraft, resulting in the indefinite grounding of the aircraft globally.
The US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) chief Stephen Dickson announced earlier this month that the regulator will not allow the Boeing 737 Max to fly again before the end of 2019.
Trump faces impeachment inquiry
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi launched a formal impeachment inquiry into President Donald Trump in September following outrage over reports that he pressured the Ukrainian president to target Vice President Joe Biden.
The announcement of the formal impeachment inquiry followed Trump’s admission of discussing Vice President Joe Biden and his son in his phone call with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky after he decided to withhold hundreds of millions of dollars in military aid to Ukraine.
Theresa May formally resigns as PM
After almost three years of serving as the prime minister of the United Kingdom, Theresa May formally resigned as leader of the ruling Conservative Party in July following failure to reach a Brexit deal. May’s Brexit proposals have been rejected thrice by MPs and party members became outraged when she considered a confirmatory referendum if parliament approved her latest plan.
She was replaced by Boris Johnson, who is still yet to complete a deal with the European Union.
Fire engulfs Notre-Dame Cathedral
A major fire broke out at the 850-year-old cathedral of Notre Dame in Paris, France, resulting to great damage to the Gothic structure. A large part of the roof and its spire collapsed during the blaze. According to officials, the fire may have been caused by ongoing renovation work at the cathedral.
French President Emmanuel Macron called the incident a "terrible tragedy".
