The moments we experienced in 2015 had an impact on all of us. But as we often forget what happened here are some of the major events of the past year.

Paris Attacks On November 13th

The attacks in Paris on the night of Friday 13 November by gunmen and suicide bombers hit a concert hall, a major stadium, restaurants and bars, almost simultaneously – and left 130 people dead and hundreds wounded. The attacks were described by President Francois Hollande as an “act of war.
The Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) claimed responsibility for the attacks, saying that it was in retaliation for the French airstrikes on ISIL targets in Syria and Iraq. The Eiffel Tower stood dark in a symbol of mourning Saturday night as France struggled to absorb the deadliest violence on its soil since World War II. The world showed its solidarity for Paris, the “City of Light”, by lighting up their own monuments in the French flag’s colors. Landmarks included the One World Trade Center in New York, the Sydney Opera House, London’s Tower Bridge and Christ the Redeemer statue in Brazil.

Nepal Earthquake

A powerful earthquake rocked mountainous Nepal on April 25, killing 8,857 people and leveling buildings and centuries-old temples. Hospitals in the capital of Katmandu were so crowded that many of the injured were treated outside in the open, according to local media. But the quake touched a vast expanse of the subcontinent. It set off avalanches around Mount Everest where at least 17 climbers died. It caused 130 deaths in India 27 in China and 4 in Bangladesh. Facebook launched a fundraising campaign that matches every dollar donated — up to $2 million — to the International Medical Corps, a nonprofit that is delivering medical care to earthquake survivors in the region.

An Airbus A320-211 crashes in the French Alps

An Airbus A320-211 operated by Germanwings crashed in the French Alps on March 24. Germanwings flight 9525 was flying from Barcelona, Spain to Dusseldorf, Germany when the aircraft experienced a sudden loss of altitude. The crash was deliberately caused by the co-pilot Andreas Lubitz, who had previously been treated for suicidal tendencies and been declared “unfit to work” by a doctor. Lubitz kept this information from his employer and reported for duty.

Climate Change Deal

The 2015 United Nations Climate Change Conference, COP 21 was held in Paris, France, from 30 November to 12 December 2015. Nearly 200 nations adopted the first global pact to fight climate change, calling on the world to collectively cut and then eliminate greenhouse gas pollution. The “Paris agreement” aims to keep global temperatures from rising another degree Celsius (1.8 Fahrenheit) between now and 2100. The U.N. has been working for more than two decades to persuade governments to work together to reduce the man-made emissions that are warming the planet.

Iran Nuclear Deal Reached

The Iran nuclear deal framework is a preliminary framework agreement between the Islamic Republic of Iran and a group of world powers: the permanent members of the United Nations Security Council – the United States, the United Kingdom, Russia, France, China, Germany and the European Union. Negotiations took place between the foreign ministers of the countries at a series of meetings held from 26 March to 2 April 2015 in Lausanne, Switzerland. According to the joint statement in Switzerland, the countries and Iran agreed on a framework for a deal. Iran would redesign, convert, and reduce its nuclear facilities in order to lift all nuclear-related economical sanctions, freeing up tens of billions of dollars in oil revenue and frozen assets.

ISIL demolishes the ancient city of Nimrud, Hatra and Dur-Sharrukin in Iraq and one of Palmyra’s ancient temples in Syria.

Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) militants hammered, bulldozed and ultimately blew up parts of the ancient Iraqi Assyrian city of Nimrud, destroying a site dating back to the 13th century B.C. The militants have been destroying ancient relics they say promote idolatry that violate their fundamentalist interpretation of Islamic law, including the ancient Iraqi city of Hatra, a UNESCO World Heritage site..
Violent jihadists of the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (Isil) have partially destroyed the the most famous landmark in the ancient Syrian city of Palmyra. Named after a Babylonian god of war, the Temple of Bel was one of the best preserved structures in a city that withstood the rise and fall of the empires of the ancient world.

Massacres in Baga, Nigeria

The 2015 Baga massacre was a series of mass killings carried out by the jihadist group Boko Haram in the Nigerian town of Baga and its environs, between 3 January and 7 January 2015. An Amnesty International statement said there are reports the town was razed and as many as 2,000 people killed. Around 1.5 million people have been displaced by the violence. The attacks are said to have resulted in Boko Haram extending its control to over 70% of Borno State.

United Nations Security Council Resolution 2199

United Nations Security Council Resolution 2199 was approved on 12 February 2015 to combat terrorism.The resolution highlighted several financial measures to fight terrorism, such as asset freezing and closure of all financial sources of terrorism, including illegal drug trade and extraction of natural resources by terrorists. The resolution also unconditionally ban the payment of ransom to terrorist groups in exchange for hostages and condemned the destruction of cultural heritage by ISIL and the Al-Nusrah Front.

Explosions During Peace Rally In Ankara, Turkey.

Two devastating explosions struck in the heart of Ankara, the Turkish capital on October10, killing at least 95 people who had gathered for a peace rally and heightening tensions just three weeks before snap parliamentary elections.The blasts which officials called the deadliest terrorist attack in modern Turkey’s history occurred near Ankara’s main train station just as Kurds and leftists planned to march to protest the recent resumption of armed conflict between the Turkish state and Kurdish militants. No organization has claimed responsibility for the attack.

Turkey Downs Russian Warpane

Turkey shot down a Russian warplane on November 24, prompting an angry response from Moscow and heightening tensions in the global struggle over the future of Syria and the fate of the Islamic State. According to Turkey, the aircraft was fired upon while in Turkish airspace because it violated the border up to a depth of 2 kilometers for about 17 seconds after being warned to change its heading. The Russia Defense Ministry denied the aircraft ever left Syrian airspace when it was shot down. As a response , Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev has signed a decree prohibiting the import of food from Turkey and banning charter flights between the two countries.

Charlie Hebdo Attacks In Paris

On 7 January 2015 two brothers, Saïd and Chérif Kouachi, forced their way into the offices of the French satirical weekly newspaper Charlie Hebdo in Paris. Armed, they killed 11 people and injured 11 others in the building. After leaving, they killed a French National Police officer outside the building. The gunmen identified themselves as belonging to the Islamist terrorist group Al-Qaeda’s branch in Yemen. The phrase Je suis Charlie has become a common slogan of support at the rallies and in social media. The staff of Charlie Hebdo continued with the publication, and the following issue print ran 7.95 million copies in six languages, in contrast to its typical print run of 60,000 in only French.

NASA announces that liquid water has been found on Mars

NASA has confirmed the existence of flowing liquid salty water on Mars, fueling the possibility of life on the Red Planet.. Scientists have long known that there is frozen water at Mars’ poles, but they have never discovered liquid water. The discovery could have huge consequences for future expeditions, including NASA’s goal of sending a manned mission to Mars by the 2030s. Scientists have based their findings on an analysis of the mysterious dark streaks on Mars’ surface.

• Viktoria Buchkova

[spacer height=”60px”]