HIGHLIGHT EVENTS IN THE WORLD BY MONTSAME

Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia /MONTSAME/ The MONTSAME agency is naming the most important events occurred worldwide this year. 1. The self-immolation of an Arabian vendor Mohamed Bouazizi led to the Arabian revolution called "Arabian Spring". Due to the revolution, state leaders of Tunisia, Egypt, Libya and Yemen were overthrown, after 30-40 years of leadership. Inspired by the revolution movements, many demonstrations created in Bahrein, Kuwait and Oman--rich in oil countries. On March 17, the UN Security Council voted to create a no-fly zone over Libya in response to allegations of government aggression against civilians, and then the NATO Air Force started to attack the army of the Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi. The seven-month Libyan civil war ended after the death of Muammar Gaddafi who was captured alive in Sirte by members of the Libyan National Liberation Army after his convoy had been attacked by NATO warplanes as Sirte fell on 20 October 2011. Situation worsened in Syria due to an activeness of the opposition force. The international community begin measures against the president Bashar al-Assad. The UN Security Council had intended to release a resolution on the Syrian president, but it was given vetos by the Russian Federation and the People's Republic of China. According to a report of the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, over 5,000 people have died during the clashes in Syria. The Syrian problem is likely to be in center of the world next year. 2. Tsunami--natural disaster--occurred in Japan after a magnitude 9.0 (Mw) undersea mega thrust earthquake off the coast of Japan occurred on March 11. The earthquake's epicenter was approximately 70 kilometers east of the Oshika Peninsula of Tohoku and the hypocenter at an underwater depth of approximately 32 km. The tsunami caused a number of nuclear accidents, primarily the ongoing level 7 meltdowns at three reactors in the Fukushima I Nuclear Power Plant complex, and the associated evacuation zones affecting hundreds of thousands of residents. The number of deaths reached 16 thousand due the disaster. According to a calculation by the Japanese authorities, the economic loss exceeded 300 billion US dollars. 3. The founder of the militant Islamist organization Al-Qaeda Osama bin Laden was killed on May 2. It was a result of an attack given by the US special forces. Without any statement to Pakistan, the death of Osama bin Laden caused incomprehension and complication in the USA-Pakistan relations. The Pakistani parliament demanded the USA to stop attacks with pilotless aircrafts to terrorists hidden in localities. Due to it, the military and defense cooperation between the countries have stopped. 4. A financial crisis covered Greece and then made problems in Spain and Italy. The Greek authorities have been obliged by the European Central Bank (ECB) and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) to maintain an economic saving policy by trimming the state budget. Although the Greek authorities strived to satisfy the condition, the policy has faced the public protest. Due to the situations, the Greek cabinet and the Prime Minister of Italy Silvio Berlusconi have resigned. 5. On June 23, the U.S. President Barack Obama announced that the USA will withdraw its troops from Afghanistan and Iraq. He promised to withdraw 10,000 troops out of 100,000 militants in Afghanistan before the New Year, and to call back remaining troops by 2014. On December 18, the last group of US troops entered the territory of Kuwait leaving Iraq. Only 200 troops are staying in Iraq to defend the US Embassy in Baghdad. 6. Anders Breivik organized two terrorist attacks in Oslo city of Norway and Uttoya island, killing a total of 77 people, mostly teenagers-supporters of the Norwegian Labor Party. The terrorist attack shocked the world. Norway is considered as one of the most peaceful countries in the world. 7. World's population reached seven billion. According to the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs Population Division, October 31, 2011 is a symbolic date chosen based on data interpolated from its 5-year-period estimates. The estimates are based on data sources such as recent censuses, surveys, vital and population registers, and published every other year as part of its World Population Prospects. 8. The United States put a veto over a request of State of Palestine to become a member of the UN. In accordance with the UN Charter, the request on membership is discussed by the UN Security Council in the first order, and then by the General Assembly. It is considered if the Security Council appreciated the request of Palestine, 140 members of the UN were ready to support Palestine. Those countries against the UN membership for Palestine and Israel explained that State of Palestine does not satisfy the four main criteria of being an independent state. State of Palestine gained an achievement to become a member of the UNESCO. The organization admitted Palestine as a member, following a vote in which 107 member states supported and 14 opposed. On December 15, the state flag of Palestine was raised in front of the UNESCO headquarters. Due to this event, the USA, Israel and Canada have refused to pay annual tax to the UNESCO. 9. A protest movement called "Occupy Wall Street" (OWS) began on September 17 in Zuccotti Park, located in New York City's Wall Street financial district. It was initiated by the Canadian activist group Adbusters. The protests are against social and economic inequality, high unemployment, greed, as well as corruption, and the undue influence of corporations-particularly from the financial services sector-on government. The protesters' slogan We are the 99% refers to the growing income and wealth inequality in the U.S. between the wealthiest 1% and the rest of the population. The protests in New York City have sparked similar protests and movements around the world, in some 800 cities of over 80 countries. 10. Leader of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) Kim Jong-il passed away. He took the leadership of the country after death of his father Kim Il-sung in 1994. He implemented a nuclear program, leaving the Six Party Talks. Kim Jong-il's son Kim Jong-un was promoted to a senior position in the ruling Workers' Party and is his successor. B.Khuder