2015 is a year of mighty
developments. On January 1, 2015, the Eurasian Economic Union came into
effect. It created a political and economic union between Russia, Belarus, Armenia,
Kazakhstan, and Kyrgyzstan. Lithuania
adopted the euro as its currency replacing the litas. It is the 19th
Eurozone country to have done so on that date. There was a large massacre in Baga, Nigeria
by Boko Haram when that group destroyed villages. More than 2,000 people were killed in villages from
January 3-7, 2015. In Paris, France, 2 gunmen (belonging to Al-Qaeda’s Yemen
branch) killed 12 people and injured 11 more at the Paris headquarters of the satirical
newspaper Charlie Hebdo. Demonstrations occurred against terrorism. Charlie Hebdo made xenophobic,
racist images for years, but people should not be murdered because of their reprehensible views. People should agree to disagree on issues peacefully and without violence. Government raids kill 143 Boko Haram fighters in Kolofata, Cameroon.
Yemeni President Abd Rabbuh Mansur Hadi resigned in January 22, 2015 after unrest
plus the Houthi rebels seized the Presidential palace. On February 12, 2015,
both Ukraine and Russia had a ceasefire and fighting still continues. Egypt
attacked ISIL forces in Libya after ISIL members beheaded over a dozen Egyptian
Christians. From March 5-8, ISIL forces destroyed the ancient cities of Nimrod,
Hatra, and Dur Sharrukin. NASA’s Dawn probe went to the orbit of Ceres, which
is a dwarf planet. A total social eclipse occurred on March 20, 2015 on the
North Atlantic, and Faroe Islands, Svalbard. This was the 61st eclipse
of the 120th saros cycle that started on May 27, 983 and will end on
July 7, 2195. Saudi Arabia led an offensive against Yemen on March 25, 2015.
Al-Shahaab used terrorism and killed 148 people, mostly students in Kenya. An April 25
earthquake in 2015 has killed many people in Nepal, China, and Bangladesh. ISIS
captured the ancient city of Palmyra in Syria by May 21, 2015. On May 23, 2015 Ireland votes to legalize same sex marriage being the first country to legalize
same sex marriage by popular vote. On June 17, 2015, nine African Americans
were murdered by the coward Dylan Roof at the Charleston Church shooting at
Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church in downtown Charleston, South
Carolina. The Charleston community came together in unity to fight racism and
eliminate that Confederate flag from Capitol grounds. That elimination of that Confederate flag was very historic. Bree Newsome took the flag down previous to the state government doing it. On June 26, 2015, the Supreme Court decided on
Obergefell v. Hodges that same sex marriage is recognized in all 50 states. The
decision was a 5-4 decision.
On June 30, 2015,
Cuba was the first nation on Earth to eradicate mother to child transmission of
HIV and syphilis. Greece struggles to pay off its debt. Sandra Bland died mysteriously in jail on July 13, 2015 after she was pulled over for a traffic
stop in Texas. On July 14, 2015, the Iranian nuclear deal exists and NASA’s New
Horizons spacecraft fly over Pluto. Turkey attacks ISIL too. By September 1,
Queen Elizabeth II became the longest reigning British monarch in history.
Russia supports the Syrian government and uses air strikes on ISIL on September
30, 2015. Gunmen fire at a workplace in San Bernardino, California. 14 people
were killed. ISIL claimed responsibility. On December 15, 2015, the Islamic Military
Counter Terrorism Coalition was formed in order to fight terrorism.
In 2016, more occurrences transpired. On January 3, 2016,
the execution of Mir al-Nimr has caused Saudi Arabia and other countries to end
their diplomatic relations with Iran. Joaquin Guzman was recaptured on January
8, 2016 after his escape from a maximum security prison in Mexico. On January
16, 2016, the International Atomic Energy Agency said that Iran has adequately
dismantled its nuclear weapons programs, allowing the United Nations to lift
sanctions immediately. Terrorism happened in Burkina Faso in a hotel and restaurants.
176 hostages were released. 30 people were killed, and 56 people were injured.
Zika virus is worldwide by January 28. Pope Francis and Patriarch Krill of the
Orthodox Church signed an Ecumenical Declaration. This is the first such meeting
since their schism in 1054. Convicted war criminal Congolese former Vice
President Jean-Pierre Bemba is guilty of war crimes and crimes against humanity
(like sexual violence). Bombings in Brussels have happened. 49 people were
killed and 53 people were injured at a gay nightclub in Orlando, Florida on June 12, 2016. The murderer was the 29 year old security guard Omar Mateen. The
gunman claimed allegiance to the Islamic state. The Brexit movement starts in
June 23 when the UK votes on a referendum to leave the European Union. ISIL is
suspected in the 2016 Ataturk Airport attack on June 28. The historic 2016
Summer Olympics are held in Rio de Janiero, Brazil. This is the first time it
was held in a South American nation. The Summer Olympic games happened from August 5-21, 2016. On
September 24, 2016, the National Museum of African American History and Culture
(NHAAHC) was opened to the public. That was a very historic event. It had 1.9 million visitors in 2018. It was
a historic museum. It has about 40,000 collections of items. It records the
culture and history of African Americans for centuries. It was started decades
ago. The authorization to make the museum came about in 2003. The NMAAHC is a magnificent
display of what black culture is all about. By September 28, 2016, Global CO2
levels exceeded 400 ppm at the time of the year that usually exists with minimum levels.
This level is higher than anything experienced in human history according to
many. On November 2, 2016, the Chicago Cubs won the World Series for the first
time in American sports history. November
8, 2016 was the date that will live in infamy. It was the end of the 2016
Presidential election in America where Trump wins by the Electoral College.
Also, we find that U.S. intelligence agencies found out that Russian government
officials used computer hacking to try to interfere with the U.S. election process.
Trump bragged about sexual improprieties. WikiLeaks released thousands of
private emails from inside the political campaign of candidate Hillary Clinton.
On December 23, 2016, the United Nations Security Council adopted Resolution
2334, condemning Israeli settlements in Palestinian territories occupied since
1967. On December 31, 2016, the United States troops withdraw from Afghanistan
after 15 years.
On 2017, we see new developments. On January 1, 2017, there
was the Istanbul nightclub shooting with a gunman dressing up as Santa Claus. January
20, 2017 was when Donald Trump was sworn in as President. By January 21, 2017,
millions of people worldwide join the Women’s March in response to the
inauguration of Donald Trump as President of the United States. 420 marches
were reported in America. On January 30, 2017, Morocco rejoined the African
Union. North Korea tested a ballistic missile over the Sea of Japan on February
11, 2017. Kim Jon-nam was assassinated by 2 women with VX nerve agent at Kaula
Lumpur International Airport in Malaysia. He was the eldest son of the deceased
Kim Jong-Il. March 20, 2017 was when the UN warned of the humanitarian crisis
in Yemen, Somalia, South Sudan, and Nigeria as the biggest humanitarian crisis since the days of World War II. A terror attack was outside the
Palace of Westminster in London, killed 5 people and injuring 50 others on
March 22, 2017. The U.S. drops the MOAB bomb at the ISIL base in eastern Afghanistan
on April 13, 2017. MOAB is the world’s largest non-nuclear weapon. By May 9, 2017, Trump fired FBI Director James
Comey This has lead to the calls for the appointment of a special counsel. On May 17,
2017, former FBI Director Robert Mueller was appointed Special Counsel for the
U.S. Department of Justice to investigate the Russian interference in the 2016
Presidential election. A terrorist bombing attack was at an Ariana Grande concert
in Manchester, England. 22 people were killed and more than 500 people were
injured. The U.S. left the Paris Climate
Agreement by June of 2017. Another Islamist terror attack happened on London Bridge
that killed 8 people and injured 48 others on June 3, 2017. By June, Theresa
May is a leader in the UK with Jeremy Corbyn gaining power of the Labour party.
Cyberattacks happened in Ukraine. Mosul was liberated from ISIL by July 10,
2017. The violence in Charlottesville, Virginia happened at the racist,
anti-Semitic Unite the Right Rally on the date of August 11-12, 2017. Heather Heyer, who was a counter protester,
was killed after being hit by a car by a white supremacist. Violence against
innocent protesters happened that the location. A total solar eclipse is seen
in America on August 21, 2017. Harvey was a hurricane in a Category 4 that
damaged the Houston metropolitan area (especially with record breaking floods).
108 deaths were recorded and damage was $125 billion making Harvey the costliest
natural disaster in United States history (it landed on soil by August 26, 2017) tied with Hurricane Katrina in 2005. Putin
expelled 755 diplomats in response to U.S. sanctions. Hurricane Irma harmed the
Caribbean and America killed 146 people plus causing $64.2 billion in damage. On
September 13, 2017, the International Olympic Committee awarded Paris and Los
Angeles to host the 2024 and 2028 Summer Olympics respectively. On October 1,
2017, 58 people were killed and 851 people injured when Stephen Paddock fired his
gun on a crowd in Las Vegas. It was the deadliest mass shooting done by one
single gunman in modern U.S. history. The Iraqis said that they are liberated
of the ISIL group on October 17, 2017. President Xi won the election in China.
Catalonia declared independence from Spain on October 27, but Spain doesn’t
recognize it. A rental truck killed 8 people and injured 11 others in Lower Manhattan,
NYC on October 31, 2017. There is a Sutherland Springs Baptist church shooting
when 26 people died and 20 more are injured. President Robert Mugabe was placed
under house arrested on November 15, 2017. A mosque attack in Sinai, Egypt
killed 305 worshipers. Hundreds more were wounded. Russia is banned from the
2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang by the International Olympic Committee over
doping allegations. America officially recognized Jerusalem as Israel’s capital
on December 6, 2017. The Iraqi military said that it has liberated its lands
from ISIL by December 9, 2017. Disney acquired most of 21st century
FOX. Many nations like Guatemala moved their Israeli embassy to Jerusalem by December
24, 2017. The end of 2017 represents the start of the end of the 2010’s decade.
By Timothy
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