Celebrate the Old Year

AS WE PARTY AND SING - most appropriately over a Scotch whiskey! - Auld Lang Syne (Scottish for "old times sake"), we think back at the year gone by. It's time to introspect on the challenges, tribulations, and problems of the year, but even more so to celebrate the successes, joys, and happy moments of the year; days of satisfying work and of friendships grown or renewed; new friends, places, and perspectives. Even as we wish each other a happy New Year, welcoming its arrival with song and dance, we should celebrate the passing of a year, the end of 366 days of happiness and good cheer.

- BY KIRAN KARNIK

HUMAN CAUSED GLOBAL WARMING

While everyone would have their own tales to tell, of ups and downs, of failures and successes, at macro level it has been a year of global turmoil. Our unique and microscopically small blue planet in the vastness of space has seen extreme weather events like floods and droughts, with their accompanying destruction and human misery, due to human-caused global warming: the result of a high-carbon, consumerist, use-and-dispose development path that only pays lip-service to sustainability.

Sudan exemplified "turmoil" in its worst form, with untold and generally neglected suffering and deaths. The war in Ukraine saw no end and has settled into one of continuing attrition on both sides. In Gaza, Israel continued its death and demolition bombardments, killing over 45,000 Palestinians - leading to accusations of genocide. It expanded its military actions into Lebanon, Syria, and Yemen, while it engaged with Iran in mutual missile strikes on a few occasions.

YEAR OF CHANGE AND UPHEAVAL

The year witnessed elections in over 64 countries, together representing almost half the global population. These included US, UK, Russia, Japan, Indonesia, and France, apart from India and its immediate neighbours. Europe has moved politically rightward, even as Latin America (and, arguably, UK) moved leftward. Protectionism and ultra-nationalism are likely to inhibit international trade, with serious business effects - worsened by likely curbs on immigration and visas. Leadership changes in many may also result in major geo-political consequences.