is trying to recover from the great recession of 2007-2009.The housing market remains weak and the unemployment rate is at an alarming 8.6 percent. US shifts its policy focus from Iraq,Afghanistan region to the Asia pacific region to counter the assertive foreign policy of China in the South China Sea as it withdrawss its troops in Iraq and Afghanistan by 2014
Tunisia:Twenty three-year rule of President Ben Ali in Tunisia collapses after massive protests over social injustice, unemployment and inflation following which the dictator along with family members fled the country.
25 yrs-old Bouzizi became the catalyst for the Tunisian revolution and the wider Arab spring.
This was instantly following by unrest and uprising in many Arab countries effecting Egypt, Libya, Syria ,Bahrain,Yemen and Morocco with spill over effect in other Arab countries.
Egypt: Following massive protests against unemployment, social injustice and nepotism, the 30 year old regime of Hosni Mubarak came to an end on February 11 and the ex- president stands trial for death penalty on charges of killing protesters.
Military council took over power for conducting parliamentary elections which were held in three phases in the month of December and the presidential elections are expected by July 2012.
Libya:
Violent uprising broke out in Benghazi in eastern Libya that instantly spread throughout the country.
Nato forces provided an air umbrella under a UN mandate against aerial killing of protesters by the Libyan planes.
After months of fierce battles,69-year old Muammer Gaddafi was killed violently by the National transitional forces in Sirte thus ending the 42-year old regime of Gaddafi.
Yemen: Yemeni President Ali Abdullah saleh signed a power transfer deal promising to step down after about 33 years in power but the protesters continue expressing doubt over his real intentions of relinquishing power.
Syria: PresidentBashar al Assad of Syria is struggling for survival amid high discontentment and international pressure to stop violent crackdown on protesters.
During March 2011,”Day of Dignity” protest held in Damascus demanded release of political prisoners and some 35 people were arrested .At ‘Day of rage’ rally in the southern city of Derra ,security forces shoot a number of people dead,triggering days of violent unrest and more civilian deaths.
In an attempt to defuse the protests,State of emergency in force since 1963 lifted in April 2011.
Army tanks rolled in the cities of Derra,Banyas, Damascus and Homs in an effort to crush anti-regime protests in May 2011.US followed by European Union tightens sanctions in response to bloody crackdown on protests and president Assad announced amnesty for political prisoners.
In June 2011,120 members of security forces are claimed by government to have been killed by armed gangs in North western town of Jisr al-Shughour.Troops besiege the town and more than 10,000 people flee to Turkey.
In October,China and Russia veto UN resolution condemning Syria and then in November Arab league votes to suspend Syria,accusing it of failing ti implement Arab peace plan and later votes to impose sanctions.
United States in 2011
Having completed withdrawal of its combat troops in Iraq by 15th decmber and finalizing its plan to pull out troops from Afghanistan by 2014,US now publicly announced the shifting of its foreign policy “pivot” to Asia pacific to counter the assertive posture of China.
Having completed withdrawal of its combat troops in Iraq by 15th decmber and finalizing its plan to pull out troops from Afghanistan by 2014,US now publicly announced the shifting of its foreign policy “pivot” to Asia pacific to counter the assertive posture of China.
US President Barack Obama signed the death warrant for the world's most wanted man Osama bin-Laden on April 29.
The “Occupy Wall Street “ protests being witnessed since September 2011, show economic travails of the Global super power.The country’s credit rating was already cut from triple A to AA plus by Standard and Poor rating agency.
On May 19,2011,Obama signaled a shift in his Mid East Policy by publicly calling for creation of a Palestinian state along 1967 borders.
Major events in Iran:
Following the uprising in Egypt, Iran sends two warships in Suez canal during the month of Feburary which Israel terms as an act of provocation.
Within the internal dynamics of Islamic Republic of Iran a row emerged between supreme leader Ayatollah Khamenei and President Ahmadinejad over the resignation of intelligence minister Heidar Moslehi.
With regard to controversial Iran's nuclear programme,Nuclear chief Ali Akbar Salehi announces Iran having developed technology needed to make fuel plates and rods for nuclear reactor and in September 2011, Bushehr Nuclear Power station was connected to the national grid.Resultantly IAEA report released in November 2011 accuses Iran of carrying out research that can only be used to develop a nuclear bomb trigger which is refuted by Iran.Subesequently, London imposed tighter economic sanctions against Iran leading to attack by protesters on the British embassy in Tehran resulting in British expelling all Iranian diplomats from UK and recalling its diplomatic staff from Iran.
In October 2011,US accuses Iran of being behind a plot to kill the Saudi ambassador to Washington but Iran rejects the charge.
EU
The euro-zone debt crisis further deepened with the involved countries adopting casual approach to deal with recession.The crisis eventua;;y claimed the leaders of
a) Greece when prime Minister George papendreon announced on November 6 that he will resign over his botched decision to put the second bailout agreement to a referendum and Secondly ,Italian Prime minister Silvio Berlusconi resigning on November 12.Even the debt-GDP ratios of France and Italy are now considerd unsustainable by certain rating agencies.
The “Occupy Wall Street “ protests being witnessed since September 2011, show economic travails of the Global super power.The country’s credit rating was already cut from triple A to AA plus by Standard and Poor rating agency.
On May 19,2011,Obama signaled a shift in his Mid East Policy by publicly calling for creation of a Palestinian state along 1967 borders.
Major events in Iran:
Following the uprising in Egypt, Iran sends two warships in Suez canal during the month of Feburary which Israel terms as an act of provocation.
Within the internal dynamics of Islamic Republic of Iran a row emerged between supreme leader Ayatollah Khamenei and President Ahmadinejad over the resignation of intelligence minister Heidar Moslehi.
With regard to controversial Iran's nuclear programme,Nuclear chief Ali Akbar Salehi announces Iran having developed technology needed to make fuel plates and rods for nuclear reactor and in September 2011, Bushehr Nuclear Power station was connected to the national grid.Resultantly IAEA report released in November 2011 accuses Iran of carrying out research that can only be used to develop a nuclear bomb trigger which is refuted by Iran.Subesequently, London imposed tighter economic sanctions against Iran leading to attack by protesters on the British embassy in Tehran resulting in British expelling all Iranian diplomats from UK and recalling its diplomatic staff from Iran.
In October 2011,US accuses Iran of being behind a plot to kill the Saudi ambassador to Washington but Iran rejects the charge.
EU
The euro-zone debt crisis further deepened with the involved countries adopting casual approach to deal with recession.The crisis eventua;;y claimed the leaders of
a) Greece when prime Minister George papendreon announced on November 6 that he will resign over his botched decision to put the second bailout agreement to a referendum and Secondly ,Italian Prime minister Silvio Berlusconi resigning on November 12.Even the debt-GDP ratios of France and Italy are now considerd unsustainable by certain rating agencies.
In Europe,26 of the 27 EU members have now agreed on stricter budget rules to deal with crisis.Thus by relinquishing national sovereignty over Budgetary matters ,the EU leaders brought their political and economic union to a higher level laying at rest speculations about the end of the eurozone.
Iraq
The nine –year US military mission in Iraq came to an end with the last combative troops leaving Iraq on 15th December 2011 .Meanwhile Iraq is left with a deepening political crisis with sectarian divisions . Major challenges now facing Naouri Al maliki government are
1: To build a unity government with appropriate Sunni,Shia representation
2: to undertake massive reconstruction work.
3: To provide security and peace within the country.
The Iraqiya bloc that has alliance with Maliki government has boycotted the parliament over the arrest warrant issued against Sunni vice president Hashmi and their fears over the tighting grip of Maliki over the major policy decision that may tilt balance in favour of Shias.
Pakistan
Osama Bin Laden founder of the militant Islamic Organisation Al-Qaeda was killed in his compound in Pakistan;s military garrison town of Abbottabad.
The military raid was launched by US navy SEALS from Afghanistan and the US forces took bin Laden’s body and buried at sea within 24 hours of his death.
In a drone attack from Afghanistan Nato strike forces killed 24 Pakistan military troops in a Pakistani border post that resulted in much tension between the two ally countries.
Matter of an alleged memo dashed to Washington through Husein Haqqani a former envoy to Washington remained a matter of controversy between civilian government and Army chief Kayani and ISI Chief Shuja Pasha.
Russia in 2011
Current Prime Minister and former President Vladimir Putin wants to return to the presidency while exchanging his office of Prime Minister with current President Dmitry Medvedev.
Iraq
The nine –year US military mission in Iraq came to an end with the last combative troops leaving Iraq on 15th December 2011 .Meanwhile Iraq is left with a deepening political crisis with sectarian divisions . Major challenges now facing Naouri Al maliki government are
1: To build a unity government with appropriate Sunni,Shia representation
2: to undertake massive reconstruction work.
3: To provide security and peace within the country.
The Iraqiya bloc that has alliance with Maliki government has boycotted the parliament over the arrest warrant issued against Sunni vice president Hashmi and their fears over the tighting grip of Maliki over the major policy decision that may tilt balance in favour of Shias.
Pakistan
Osama Bin Laden founder of the militant Islamic Organisation Al-Qaeda was killed in his compound in Pakistan;s military garrison town of Abbottabad.
The military raid was launched by US navy SEALS from Afghanistan and the US forces took bin Laden’s body and buried at sea within 24 hours of his death.
In a drone attack from Afghanistan Nato strike forces killed 24 Pakistan military troops in a Pakistani border post that resulted in much tension between the two ally countries.
Matter of an alleged memo dashed to Washington through Husein Haqqani a former envoy to Washington remained a matter of controversy between civilian government and Army chief Kayani and ISI Chief Shuja Pasha.
Russia in 2011
Current Prime Minister and former President Vladimir Putin wants to return to the presidency while exchanging his office of Prime Minister with current President Dmitry Medvedev.
Russia’s parliamentary elections in December 2011 have been condemned as fraudulent by both international and Russian observers.
Large anti-Putin demonstrations were held while Putin accused US Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton of inciting unrest in Russia and instigating protesters .
North Korea
On Decmber 19,2011 ,North Korean leader Kim Jong-il died of a heart attack at the age of 69.
Following news of Mr Kim's death, South Korea put its armed forces on high alert and said the country was on a crisis footing. Japan's government convened a special security meeting.
On 31 Decmber ,2011 ,Kim Jong-Un,the son of late leader Kim Jong-Il, has assumed the "supreme commandership" of the reclusive nation's million-strong military.
Kim Jong-Un had already been declared "supreme leader" of the country during memorial ceremonies for his father on December 29, as the nation ended 13 days of mourning for Kim Jong-Il.
On Decmber 19,2011 ,North Korean leader Kim Jong-il died of a heart attack at the age of 69.
Following news of Mr Kim's death, South Korea put its armed forces on high alert and said the country was on a crisis footing. Japan's government convened a special security meeting.
On 31 Decmber ,2011 ,Kim Jong-Un,the son of late leader Kim Jong-Il, has assumed the "supreme commandership" of the reclusive nation's million-strong military.
Kim Jong-Un had already been declared "supreme leader" of the country during memorial ceremonies for his father on December 29, as the nation ended 13 days of mourning for Kim Jong-Il.
Japan
An 8.9-magnitude earthquake and subsequent tsunami struck Japan in March 2011. The quake was one of the largest in recorded history triggered a 23-foot tsunami that battered Japan's coast, killing hundreds.Damage to the Fukushima nuclear plant causes a radiation leak that left mass evacuation from the affected region and leaves uninhabitable .
On August 2011 Criticised for mishandling the aftermath of the Fukushima nuclear crisis,Prime Minister Naoto Kan steps down. He is succeeded by Yoshihiko Noda.
On August 2011 Criticised for mishandling the aftermath of the Fukushima nuclear crisis,Prime Minister Naoto Kan steps down. He is succeeded by Yoshihiko Noda.
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