Top International Stories of 2015
Updated | By JacarandaFM News
JacarandaFM News takes a look at the top international stories that rocked the world in 2015.
Our top stories started making headlines in January, with Paris seeing its first attack before mourning the deaths of more of its citizens in November.
Adding to the list is the ever growing migrant crisis and the role ongoing terrorism played in displacing thousands of refugees.
On the international front, 2015 would go down in history as the year that turned the City of Lights and Love, into the city of terror. The year was but seven days old, when Paris was shocked to the core by the Charlie Hebdo massacre. Two brothers, who identified themselves as members of Al Qaeda's Yemen branch - stormed into the offices of the Satirical weekly - killing 11 members of staff - for again publishing cartoon images of the prophet Mohammed. They went on the run killing another five people and wounding 11 more ... Both were killed by authorities two days later. Another two days later, 40 world leaders joined millions of people to march in Paris declaring "Je suis Charlie" - I am Charlie.
Another ten months later, Paris was again rocked - even harder. As the "Eagles of Death Metal" from the US, played to a packed Bataclan Music Hall ... armed men stormed in ... guns blazing ... killing 89 people. More armed attackers and suicide bombers - were meanwhile targeting other venues and civilians enjoying the Parisian night life. A total of 130 people were killed, 368 wounded. It was Friday the 13th of November and this time the "Islamic State Terror Group "Isis" claimed responsibility. Again the western world rallied around France and several NATO members committed to more might against ISIS targets.
While the west has been bombing ISIS targets in especially Syria - the response to the Boko Haram terror group, infamous for kidnapping 276 school girls in Chibok last year, has been less decisive. Operating from Northern Nigeria, it's estimated that Boko Haram has killed some 20-thousand civilians since 2009 - displacing more than 2,3 million people. In Somalia, the Islamist armed group Al-Shabaab maintains control of large areas of south-central Somalia. According to the UN, over 1 million, mostly displaced people, face acute food insecurity, mostly as a result of ongoing military operations.
In other parts of the world, war, poverty and economic strife has led to thousands fleeing to Europe for a better life. In April, the term: European Migrant crisis became a commonly used phrase, after five boats, carrying some two thousand migrants to Europe sank in the Mediterranean Sea. 1,200 people died. This was just the first of many heart breaking stories, giving a human face to the desperation. According to the UN High Commissioner for Refugees, by December 2015, the top three nationalities of the almost one million Mediterranean Sea arrivals since the beginning of the year are 50% from Syria, 20% from Afghanistan and 7% from Iraq. The European Council on Foreign Relations gave the EU a D-plus for its response to the crisis, with Germany seen as most generous towards those seeking a better life.
Not that Europe was spared unseen economic fallout, when the Greek Debt crisis came to a head. Years of irresponsible borrowing, spending and inefficient tax collection saw Greek banks capping daily withdrawals, shops shelves empty and Greeks protesting in the streets. It threatened the Eurozone and ended with billions in bail outs - for which Greece had to agree to unpopular austerity measures. Experts estimate that Greece may not reach financial stability until the year 2020 or later.
And finally ... property mogul and former reality TV-boss, Donald Trump has shaken up the race for nomination as presidential candidate - when Americans go to the polls next November. The Don has not been out of the news, since announcing his ambitions for the White House on the Republican ticket on the 16th of June - under the slogan "Make America Great Again. Trump has made it clear that immigrants would not be welcome - insulting Mexicans, Muslims and women. He is one of 14 Republicans still in the race for nomination, scoring high in the polls, but lower in the pundits prediction of likely nomination. On the Democrat side, former first lady and grandmother, 68-year old Hillary Clinton is still the front runner to become the first female presidential candidate. She has secured the second most funding - after Republican hopeful Jepp Bush and is one of only three Democratic candidates. The parties will decide at the end of July 2016 and the two winners will go head to head on the 8th of November for the presidency.
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