January 2012 – FilipinosAround

2011 left us with a lot of things to remember by. That year was marred by political unrest and changes, natural calamities, celebrity deaths and other events that had great international impact either because of their magnitude or because of their importance in the global scenario. I would like to make mention of some events that I think had registered deeper significance in the lives of the people and the whole world at large.

The most significant I think are the following:

January 2011

11 – flooding and mudslides killed 903 in the Rio de Janeiro in Brazil.

14 – The president of Tunis, a north African Arab country, was overthrown after 23 years in power. This event paved the way for other Arab countries population to look into their own country as popular protests against their president began to surface.

February

11 – Arab world: Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak resigns after widespread protests calling for his departure, leaving control of Egypt in the hands of the military until a general election can be held.

February 22 – March 14 – Uncertainty over Libyan oil output causes crude oil prices to rise 20% causing the 2011 energy crisis.

March

11 – A 9.1-magnitude earthquake and subsequent tsunami hit the east ofJapan, killing 15,840 and leaving another 3,926 missing. Warnings of tsunami were issued to 50 countries and territories. Watch videos of tsunami and damages in Japan. Click on the link: http://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=tsunami+and+earthquake++in+Japan&qpvt=tsunami+and+earthquake++in+Japan&FORM=VDRE#

17 –The United Nations votes 10-0 to create a no-fly zone overLibya in response to allegations of government aggression against civilians.

April

29 – The wedding of Prince William, Duke of Cambridge and Catherine Middleton at Westminster Abbey in London was watched by over two billion people around the world. Watch video of the wedding, click on the link:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=schQZY3QjCw

May

1 – U.S. President Barack Obama announces that Osama bin Laden, the founder and leader of the militant group Al-Qaeda, has been killed during an American military operation in Pakistan.

June

5 – Arab world: Yemeni President Ali Abdullah Saleh travels to Saudi Arabia for treatment of an injury sustained during an attack on the presidential palace. Protesters celebrate his transfer of power to his Vice-President Abd al-Rab Mansur al-Hadi.

12 – Arab world : Thousands of Syrians flee to Turkey as Syrian troops lay siege to Jisr ash-Shugur.

July

21 – Space Shuttle Atlantis lands successfully at Kennedy Space Center after completing STS-135 to conclude NASA’s space shuttle program.

26 – 76 people are killed in twin terrorist attacks in Norway after a bombing in the Regjeringskvartalet government center in Oslo and a shooting at a political youth camp on the island of Utøya.

Over 12.8 million people in Thailandwere affected by severe flooding. The World Bank estimates damages at 1,440 billion baht (US$45 billion). Some areas are still six – feet underwater, and many factory areas remained closed, at the end of the year. 790 people were killed, with 58 of the country’s 77 provinces affected.

August

20–28 – Arab world and the Libyan civil war: In the Battle of Tripoli, Libyan rebels took control the nation’s capital effectively overthrowing the government of Muammar Gaddafi.

September

5 – India and Bangladesh sign a pact to end their 40-year border demarcation dispute.

19 – United Nations launches a $357 million appeal for victims of the 2011 Sindh floods in Pakistan, after over 400 people died.

October

4 – The death toll from the flooding of Cambodia‘s Mekong River and attendant flash floods reaches 207.

18 – Israel and the Palestinian militant organization Hamas begin a major prisoner swap, in which the captured Israeli Army soldier Gilad Shalit is released by Hamas in exchange for 1,027 Palestinian and Israeli-Arab prisoners held in Israel.

20 – Arab world and the Libyan civil war: Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi is killed in Sirte, with National Transitional Council forces taking control of the city, and ending the war.

In Spain: – Basque separatist militant organisation ETA declares an end to its 43-year campaign of political violence, which has killed over 800 people since 1968.

23 – A magnitude 7.2 earthquake jolted eastern Turkey near the city of Van, killing 604 people, and damaging about 2,200 buildings.

27 – After an emergency meeting in Brussels, the European Union announced an agreement to tackle the European sovereign debt crisis which includes a writedown of 50% of Greek bonds, a recapitalisation of European banks and an increase of the bailout fund of the European Financial Stability Facility totaling to €1 trillion.

31 – UN has selected this as the symbolic date when global population reaches seven billion.

December

15 – The United States formally declares an end to the Iraq War.

16 – Tropical Storm Washi causes 1,257 flash flood fatalities in the Philippines with 85 people are officially listed as missing. The floods Cagayan de Oro city in the Philippines where almost 1000 people either died or missing.

29 – Samoa and Tokelau moves from east to west of the International Date Line in order to align its time zone better with its main trading partners, meaning that it will not mark December 30 this year.

Other highlights were the death of:

Elizabeth Taylor, British-American actress (b. 1932) on March 23

Osama bin Laden, Saudi-born leader of Al-Qaeda (b. 1957) on May 2

Muammar Gaddafi, Libyan leader (b. 1942) on October 20

Kim Jong-il, Supreme Leader of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (b. 1941) on December 17.

My 2012 wish?, that the Almighty blesses us with PEACE, LOVE, HARMONY and UNDERSTANDING. I couldn’t wish for anything else, except perhaps for good health and that happiness abound specially to those poor children in the Philippines, in Africa in the other countries in the world. Too much to ask for? Yes, because I really have a little to give, materially speaking but, I can spare a lot of prayers to help others who are praying for the same wish as I have wished for. Happy New Year to all…..Eric

Please click on the link https://filipinosaround.wordpress.com/quiz-to-madrid/ for the 5th and 6th questions to the QUIZ TO MADRID CONTEST.

Please visit International Job Opportunities section to find jobs in Canada.

Please visit Events/Eventos section to view photos of visit to Fatima, Portugal.

Please visit the Philippines Latest News section and watch the floods in Dumagueste City on 17 December 2011

The most significant I think are the following:

January 2011

11 – flooding and mudslides killed 903 in the Rio de Janeiro in Brazil.

14 – The president of Tunis, a north African Arab country, was overthrown after 23 years in power. This event paved the way for other Arab countries population to look into their own country as popular protests against their president began to surface.

February

11 – Arab world: Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak resigns after widespread protests calling for his departure, leaving control of Egypt in the hands of the military until a general election can be held.

February 22 – March 14 – Uncertainty over Libyan oil output causes crude oil prices to rise 20% causing the 2011 energy crisis.

March

17 –The United Nations votes 10-0 to create a no-fly zone overLibya in response to allegations of government aggression against civilians.

April

29 – The wedding of Prince William, Duke of Cambridge and Catherine Middleton at Westminster Abbey in London was watched by over two billion people around the world. Watch video of the wedding, click on the link:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=schQZY3QjCw

May

1 – U.S. President Barack Obama announces that Osama bin Laden, the founder and leader of the militant group Al-Qaeda, has been killed during an American military operation in Pakistan.

June

5 – Arab world: Yemeni President Ali Abdullah Saleh travels to Saudi Arabia for treatment of an injury sustained during an attack on the presidential palace. Protesters celebrate his transfer of power to his Vice-President Abd al-Rab Mansur al-Hadi.

12 – Arab world : Thousands of Syrians flee to Turkey as Syrian troops lay siege to Jisr ash-Shugur.

July

21 – Space Shuttle Atlantis lands successfully at Kennedy Space Center after completing STS-135 to conclude NASA’s space shuttle program.

26 – 76 people are killed in twin terrorist attacks in Norway after a bombing in the Regjeringskvartalet government center in Oslo and a shooting at a political youth camp on the island of Utøya.

August

20–28 – Arab world and the Libyan civil war: In the Battle of Tripoli, Libyan rebels took control the nation’s capital effectively overthrowing the government of Muammar Gaddafi.

September

5 – India and Bangladesh sign a pact to end their 40-year border demarcation dispute.

19 – United Nations launches a $357 million appeal for victims of the 2011 Sindh floods in Pakistan, after over 400 people died.

October

4 – The death toll from the flooding of Cambodia‘s Mekong River and attendant flash floods reaches 207.

18 – Israel and the Palestinian militant organization Hamas begin a major prisoner swap, in which the captured Israeli Army soldier Gilad Shalit is released by Hamas in exchange for 1,027 Palestinian and Israeli-Arab prisoners held in Israel.

20 – Arab world and the Libyan civil war: Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi is killed in Sirte, with National Transitional Council forces taking control of the city, and ending the war.

In Spain: – Basque separatist militant organisation ETA declares an end to its 43-year campaign of political violence, which has killed over 800 people since 1968.

23 – A magnitude 7.2 earthquake jolted eastern Turkey near the city of Van, killing 604 people, and damaging about 2,200 buildings.

31 – UN has selected this as the symbolic date when global population reaches seven billion.

December

15 – The United States formally declares an end to the Iraq War.

16 – Tropical Storm Washi causes 1,257 flash flood fatalities in the Philippines with 85 people are officially listed as missing. The floods Cagayan de Oro city in the Philippines where almost 1000 people either died or missing.

29 – Samoa and Tokelau moves from east to west of the International Date Line in order to align its time zone better with its main trading partners, meaning that it will not mark December 30 this year.

Other highlights were the death of:

Elizabeth Taylor, British-American actress (b. 1932) on March 23

Osama bin Laden, Saudi-born leader of Al-Qaeda (b. 1957) on May 2

Muammar Gaddafi, Libyan leader (b. 1942) on October 20

Kim Jong-il, Supreme Leader of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (b. 1941) on December 17.

Please click on the link https://filipinosaround.wordpress.com/quiz-to-madrid/ for the 5th and 6th questions to the QUIZ TO MADRID CONTEST.

Please visit International Job Opportunities section to find jobs in Canada.

Please visit Events/Eventos section to view photos of visit to Fatima, Portugal.

Please visit the Philippines Latest News section and watch the floods in Dumagueste City on 17 December 2011

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