2015 review

2015 came to an end. A year full of events, but also a year of war and disasters. Here is a recap of the most important events of last year:
January
– Charlie Hebdo attacks in Paris. Terrorists open fire in a French satirical newspaper office.
– The Eurasian Economic Union is founded, being the eastern version of the European Union and allows free movement of goods, services and labor between the member states. The following nations are part of the EAEU: Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyz Republic and of course, Russia.
– Lithuania adopts the European coin.
– Nigeria massacres – terrorist group Boko Haram conducted a series of attacks in Baga and the surroundings. Western media reported over 2000 deaths.
– Well-known Greek singer Demis Roussos dies (age 68)
February
– Germany, France, Ukraine and Russia sign a ceasefire agreement regardind the Eastern Ukraine conflict. After just one day, there were reports that the agreement was broken more than 100 times.
– Egypt has conducted airstrike over an ISIS affiliated group in Libya, after the terrorists killed a dozen of Christians.

March
– ISIS destroys the ancient cities of Nimrud, Hatra and Dur-Sharrukin, proving once again that evolution played a cruel joke on them.
– A GermanWings Airbus crashes in the French Alps. 150 people died because of a psychologically ill pilot that locked himself in the cabin and crashed the plane. I don’t get it…if you want to kill yourself, put a gun in your mouth and nobody will cry. Don’t take 149 other innocent lives with you. They are not the reason of your problems!
April
– Another terrorist attack, this time in Kenya, at the Garissa University. 4 militants part of the group called Al-Shabaab stormed the college taking over 700 hostages, killing 149 and injuring another 80.
– Natural disaster in Nepal when a 7,8 earthquake strikes, killing over 9000 people overall in four countries.
– Important accomplishment in the health department! The World Health Organization states that rubella is eradicated from the Americas. Would be great to hear that about cancer, but it’s a start.
– The R&B legend, Ben E. King, dies at the age of 76 from coronary problems. He was known for many songs, the most noticeable being “Stand by me”.

May
– Version O of “Les femmes d’Alger” by Picasso is sold for 179,3m $, while a sculpture of Alberto Giacometti “L-homme au doigt” is sold for 141,3m $, both establishing new records in painting and sculpture. I knew I should have become a painter, but noooo, I wanted to go to college.
– Another earthquake in Nepal of 7,3, kills this time 153 people.
– Ireland legalizes same sex marriage becoming the first country to do that by popular vote. Would have been a good idea to treat the migrant crisis the same, by popular vote!

June
– in the middle of a corruption investigation led by the FBI, FIFA’s Sepp Blatter announces his resignation. After all these years of transforming football into a business, he will have a great retirement.
– 3 ISIS attacks during the Ramadan resulting with the killing of almost 300 people in Syria, Kuwait and Tunisia.
– Cuba is the first country to eradicate HIV and Syphilis transmission from mother to child.

July
– New Horizon spacecraft performs a close flyby of Pluto, becoming the first one to visit the Distant World.
– Cuba and the United States re-establish full diplomatic relations ending 54 years of hostility.
– Iran agrees to “slow down” their nuclear program if the other countries lift the economic sanctions.
August
– Finally some clues regarding the Malaysian Airlines Flight 370 that disappeared in 2014 when debris were found on Reunion Island.

September
– Big discovery in South Africa after the scientists found Homo Naledi, an unknown species of early human (probably still smarter than an ISIS fighter).
– A stampede during a pilgrimage in Saudi Arabia kills over 2200 people which proves once again that religion kills, not saves people.
– Great news from the outer space when NASA stated that they found liquid water on Mars!
– Russia gets involved in the war against terrorism by sending airstrikes.

October
– Suicide bomber kills more than 100 people at a peace rally in Turkey.
– 7,5 earthquake kills 398 people in Pakistan, Afghanistan and India.
– A Russian plane with 224 people crashed in Sinai, reports saying that it was brought down by terrorists.

November
– Suicide bombings in Beirut killing 43 and injuring 239.
– Series of gruesome coordinated attacks in Paris killing 130 innocent people, most of them at the Bataclan theatre.
– Turkey brings down a Russian jet, opening a conflict between the 2 countries.
– Lowlife Jihadi John, responsible of many executions finally dead following airstrikes.
– Jonah Lomu, one of the best rugby players, dies at the age of 40.

December
– Faction 9 rocket, the first reusable rocket
– Climate change pact! All the countries agreed to reduce carbon emissions!
In conclusion, this was a year of terror. A 2015 that made us fear to go on holidays, a year that made us loose trust in our defense forces and wonder why doesn’t anybody put a stop to this! A year that showed us we are not far better than the monkeys, no offence to the monkeys. If we will not change the world into a better place and respect it we will rather head for extinction, not evolution.
With the apologies that we might have forgotten some events, we wish you a happier and a better new year!