Wednesday, 3 Jul 2024

Decade in Review: A look back at what happened in 2016

A year of terror, big political decisions and the largest data leak in history was interspersed with record-breaking sporting feats.

Here’s what happened in 2016 (and in 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014 and 2015)…

Donald Trump becomes the 45th US president – 20 January

The billionaire businessman beat Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton after a fierce campaign in which she said half of his supporters could be put in a “basket of deplorables”.

Mr Trump accused Mrs Clinton of nefariously using a private server for her emails, as his supporters chanted: “Lock her up!”

Zika virus – 1 February

A global public health emergency was declared for nine months as the mosquito-borne virus, which has no treatment, broke out across South and Central America.

Eighty-four countries were affected by the virus, which can cause babies to be born with microcephaly, or small heads.

Brussels terror attack – 22 March

Three co-ordinated suicide bombings in the Belgium capital – two at the airport and one at Maalbeek metro station – killed 32 people and injured more than 300, with Islamic State claiming it was behind the atrocities.

The Panama Papers – 3 April

The biggest data leak in history. Some 11.5 million secret files from offshore law firm Mossack Fonseca’s database were published, revealing the offshore dealings of the rich and famous, including David Cameron’s father.

Paris Agreement signed – 22 April

The climate change agreement was signed by 195 nations vowing to limit any increase in global temperatures. Three years on, Donald Trump is extracting the US from the agreement, making it the only country in the world that will not participate.

Leicester City win the Premier League – 2 May

The football club defied odds of 5,000-1 at the start of the season to win the title with a final result of a 2-2 draw with Tottenham.

Florida terror attack – 12 June

Security guard Omar Mateen, 29, opened fire at gay nightclub Pulse in Orlando, killing 49 people and injuring 53 others before he was shot and killed by police following a three-hour standoff.

The IS follower told a negotiator he carried out the attack because of America’s intervention in Iraq and Syria.

EU referendum – 23 June

In one of the largest ever turnouts, 72.1% of eligible voters went to the polls, with 51.89% voting to leave the EU and 48.11% voting to remain. The UK was due to leave on 29 March 2019 but this was extended to 31 October 2019 and again until 31 January 2020.

Rio Olympics – August

The first Olympic Games to be held in South America was a roaring success, with more than 11,000 athletes representing 205 nations, including Kosovo and South Sudan for the first time – as well as a refugee team.

More than 100 Russian athletes were prevented from competing because of doping, while the entire Russian paralympic team was banned from the Paralympics in September.

Kim Kardashian West held at gunpoint in Paris – 3 October

The reality TV star was tied up and held at gunpoint in her Paris flat by robbers who stole £8.47m of jewellery.

She later said: “I definitely see the things that I brought on myself, the biggest being the robbery. Just being flashy and oversharing my every move on social media.

“But I enjoy my life. Someone said to me the other day, ‘what is it like being you?’ It’s awesome.”

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