Year in Review: 19 events that shook the world in 2016

2016 was a tough year across the world with several events that stunned the world. Impeachments, conflicts, election results are some of the events that had a global impact.

Here are the top stories that shook the world in 2016. 

1. US Presidential Election 2016

US president-elect Donald Trump delivers his acceptance speech during his election night event at the New York Hilton Midtown in the early morning hours of November 9, 2016, in New York City. (Image Credit: AFP) 

The United States (US) elected Republican Party candidate Donald Trump its 45th President in 2016. Trump is an American businessman, television personality and an author. He will be sworn into office on January 20, 2017, with his Vice President-elect Mike Pence. 

The 58th US election saw several ups and downs throughout 2016. The main candidate running against Trump for the presidency was Democratic Party's Hillary Clinton, who had been a former first lady, a Senator and a Secretary of State. Trump won the election with 306 electoral votes against Clinton’s 232 while Clinton led the popular vote by 2.8 million. Trump is the fifth president in US history to lose the popular vote. His win came as a shock as several media houses predicted his loss in their polls.

The major controversies in the run-up to the election were US-Russia relations, Trump's immigration policies, his racial housing discrimination in New York, numerous mafia link ups - such as Felix Sater and Robert LiButti and several sexual assault allegations against him. His campaign stated several promises under the slogan ‘Make America Great Again’, one of which was to build a wall on the US-Mexico border to stop 'rapists and murderers' from entering the country. On the other hand, Clinton made headlines for her controversial email scandal. During the last few months of the election campaign, Wikileaks released several batches of emails including ones of Clinton's campaign chairman John Podesta. The FBI conducted a probe into Clinton's use of a private email server while she was secretary of state. The agency decided not to prosecute her but reopened the investigation just days before the election. Just days before the election, the FBI reiterated that there were no need to press charges against the Democratic Party candidate.

Post-election the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) issued a statement in the US Senate affirming Russia’s involvement in the US Election using Wikileaks to release hacked Democratic Party material. The matter is now being investigated by CIA, ordered by current president Barack Obama. On December 30, Obama announced several sanctions against Russia and expelled 35 Russian intelligence operatives in the US.

2. South Korea President Impeachment

(L-R) South Korea President Park Geun-hye. People react after impeachment vote, in front of the National Assembly in Seoul, South Korea, December 9, 2016. (Image Credit: Reuters) 

For the first time ever in the history of South Korea, a President, Park Geun-hye, was impeached by the National Assembly on December 9. On November 29, Park offered to begin the process of removing herself from power.

According to the prosecutors, Geun-hye was an accomplice in a corruption scandal involving her close friend Choi Soon Sil and her former aides Jeong Ho Seong and An Chong Bum. Soon-sil, being a non-government official, was charged with editing the president's speeches, reviewing presidential office reports, shaping the country's North Korea policy and abusing the presidential link to raise funds. On December 19, Soon-sil denied all the charges in her trial.

Though she denied the charges against her, Geun-hye apologised for her carelessness in ties with Soon-sil. Tens of thousands people came out on to the streets of Seoul to protest, calling for her impeachment and resignation.

The impeachment was put to vote by the assembly, where 234 out of 300 lawmakers voted in favour of the impeachment, 56 opposed it, 7 were disqualified, 2 abstained and one member did not participate, according to the parliament speaker. Those voting in favour also included several members of Geun-hye's own party.

The administration is currently being headed by Prime Minister Hwang Kyo-ahn, now the acting president, for a period of 180 days until the impeachment is accepted by the Constitutional Court of Korea. 

3. Brexit

Nigel Farage (front), the leader of the United Kingdom Independence Party (UKIP) reacts with supporters, following the result of the EU referendum, outside the Houses of Parliament in London, Britain June 24, 2016. (Credit: Reuters)

'Brexit’ refers to ‘Britain Exit’, a moniker for United Kingdom's (UK) vote to withdraw from the European Union (EU). The UK held the referendum on June 23, to decide whether to leave or stay with the EU. More than 30 million people voted in the referendum, out of which 52% voted to leave. Nigel Farage, leader of the United Kingdom Independence Party (UKIP) was the key figurehead for the 'Leave' campaign.

During the campaign, Farage claimed they would spend £350 million sent to EU on the National Health Service (NHS). He termed this a 'mistake' soon after the referendum and soon resigned from UKIP leadership. Later, Farage campaigned for Donald Trump in the US election as the latter supported the same type of anti-establishment movement that he planned in his own country.

Post referendum, Britain got a new prime minister, Theresa May, following David Cameron's resignation, who felt he was not the right person to lead the leave negotiations. Though against Brexit, May said she would like to refer to the people’s choice and proceed with it. The government is to invoke Article 50 of the Treaty on EU (a part of European law which initiates the process of withdrawal by a member state of the European Union), by the end of March 2017. The treaty once invoked, provides a two-year time limit for concluding the negotiations. If negotiations fail to reach an agreement, the member state leaves with nothing.

May has set up a separate department for the Brexit, headed by veteran Conservative Members of Parliament (MP) and Leave campaigner David Davis along with Former Defence Secretary, Liam Fox, who is now the International Trade Secretary and Boris Johnson, the new Foreign Secretary.

Post Brexit, several other countries such as Slovakia and anti-immigrant parties in the Netherlands, Denmark, Sweden and France have demanded similar referendums.

4. Hurricane Matthew

Destroyed houses are seen after Hurricane Matthew passes through Corail, Haiti. (Image Credit: Reuters)

The Hurricane Matthew hammered across the Western Atlantic, including parts of Haiti, Dominican Republic, Cuba and the Canadian Maritimes, causing widespread and catastrophic loss of life and livestock. The estimates of the death toll reached 1000 in Haiti. The hurricane was at its peak intensity between late September 30 and early October 1. It was classified as a category 4 hurricane, which sustains winds greater than 251 kilometre per hour.

Several states and coastline counties declared a ‘state of emergency’ and mass evacuations were ordered for extensive areas of the coastline. Matthew knocked out power in nearly 1.6 million households and businesses in the US Southeast, But, passing through the Haiti, Matthew gained its highest intensity and had severe impact on several islands.

5. Columbia Plane Crash

Rescue and forensic teams recover the bodies of victims of the LAMIA airlines charter that crashed in the mountains of Cerro Gordo, municipality of La Union, Colombia, on November 29, 2016, carrying members of the Brazilian football team Chapecoense Real. (Image Credit: AFP)

On November 28, a BAE146 Bolivia charter flight, LaMia 933 from Santa Cruz, crashed into the Andes at the western edge of South America, around 12 kilometres away from its destination point in Medellin. The crash killed around 76 people on board, including most members of the Chapecoense football team and 21 journalists travelling with them. 

There were six survivors, including three of the team’s players, Hélio Neto, Jackson Follman and Alan Ruschel, who were all severely injured. The list also included Rafael Valmorbida, a journalist and two members of the flight crew.

According to a leaked recording of the final minutes of the flight, the pilot told the air traffic controllers that the flight had run out of fuel before crashing. The recording also said ‘total electric failure’. Experts say, the lack of explosion upon impact, might also indicate lack of fuel in the tank.

Before being taken offline, the website of LaMia said the plane’s maximum range was 2,965 kilometres, which was just under the distance between Medellin and Santa Cruz, Bolivia. The LaMia Airlines owner, Gustavo Vargas and two other members were taken in for interrogation in the prosecutor's office in Santa Cruz. 

6. Impeachment of Dilma Rousseff

Brazil's former President Dilma Rousseff is greeted by supporters as she leaves the Alvorada Palace, the presidential residence, after a vote in Brazils Senate stripped Rousseff of the presidency, in Brasilia, Brazil, September 6, 2016. (Image Credit: Reuters)

The biggest news to come out of Brazil in 2016 was the impeachment of Dilma Rousseff. The demands for the impeachment began in December 2015, with mass protests on the streets of Sao Paulo. The request against Rousseff was accepted by Eduardo Cunha, then president of the Chamber of Deputies. The impeachment process started on April 15 with a three-day debate.

Rousseff was charged with criminal responsibility for the execution of her duties, including misconduct and disregarding the federal budget. She was also accused of manipulating the government’s administrative budget deficit. The accusations were made by Judge Sergio Moro, who released a wiretapped conversation of Rousseff and former Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, who was charged with money laundering.

On August 31, the Senate decided to remove Rousseff from office, finding her guilty of breaking budgetary laws. The impeachment was supported by 61 senators, seven more than the two-thirds needed, and opposed by 20. Post impeachment, Cunha was arrested for several bribery cases, money laundering and hidden funds in Swiss bank, though he denied all charges.

Michel Temer, then Vice President, succeeded to the presidency to serve and will govern during the remainder of Rousseff's second term, until 1 January 2019. 

7. Rodrigo Duterte's Presidency and his Anti-drug Campaign

Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte (Image Credit: AFP)

On June 30, Duterte won the presidency by a margin of 6.6 million votes over his closest rival, Mar Roxas. His campaign promised eradication of illegal drugs in the country. 

Around 2.400 people were killed in the first four months of Duterte’s presidency, in the fight against drugs. “My campaign on drugs will not end, until the end of my term six years from now when every drug pusher is [killed],” he said. On December 15, he also said that in his previous role as a mayor of Davao City, he had killed suspects to set an example for police.

His offensive comments against US President Barack Obama, a US Ambassador, UN chief Ban ki-moon and Pope Francis outraged many. He even compared himself to Adolf Hitler, saying he was “happy to slaughter” the 3 million estimated drug addicts in the Philippines. 

8. Pakistan Flight 661 Crash

Pakistani officials of Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) look at the wreckages of crashed PIA passenger plane Flight PK661 at the site in the village of Saddha Batolni in the Abbottabad district of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province on December 7, 2016. (Image Credit: AFP)

On December 7, the Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) flight PK-661, which was carrying 48 passengers and crew, crashed near Abbottabad, on its way to Islamabad from Chitral. All 48 people on board died, including singer-turned-preacher and entrepreneur Junaid Jamshed and the Deputy Commissioner of the District of Chitral.

Before the crash, the crew issued a mayday call. An initial report of the Pakistan Civil Aviation Authority (PCAA) said the aircraft's left engine might have malfunctioned at an altitude of 13,375 feet and exploded, damaging the left wing and disrupting the aerodynamics. The dead bodies from the crash were beyond recognition.

At the time of the crash, the flight had recorded 18,739 travelling hours since joining PIA’s fleet. It had last undergone certification in October 2016. Following the crash, PIA received a lot of criticism that it did not investigate aircraft defects thoroughly enough. Post the incident, the Pakistan Airlines chairman, Azam Saigol, had resigned from his post, citing his own personal reasons.

9. Orlando Nightclub Shooting

Omar Mateen killed 50 people in a shootout at Pulse, a gay nightclub in Orlando, Florida on June 12. (Credit: Reuters)

On June 12, Omar Mateen, a 29-year-old security guard, open fired inside Pulse, a gay nightclub in Orlando, Florida, killing 50 people and wounding 53 others, making it the worst mass shootings in the US of all time.

Mateen claimed allegiance to ISIS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi in a 911 call he dialled during the attack. In his words, the shooting was "triggered" by US' killing of Abu Waheeb in Iraq in June. The Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) said it found no links between ISIS and Mateen.

When the police officers rushed to the scene, Mateen locked himself up in the club bathroom, where he was believed to have held four to five hostages.He was later killed at around 5:00 am when the police raided the building with an armoured vehicle and stun grenades. 

Mateen’s second wife, Noor Zahi Salman told the FBI she drove Mateen to the nightclub at some point before the attack on that day. She had also been with him when he bought ammunition. Noor also tried to talk Mateen out of any attack. President Obama was in Orlando on June 16 to meet with victims’ families. The attack had a big impact on the LGBTQ community.

10. Fidel Castro Dies

Fidel Castro (Image Credit: Getty Images)

On November 25, the world lost revolutionary icon Fidel Castro at the age of 90. He governed the Republic of Cuba, first as the prime minister from 1959 to 1976 and then as the president from 1976 to 2008. He was the third longest serving head of state after Britain’s Queen Elizabeth and King of Thailand, Bhumibol Adulyadej, who died on October 13, 2016. In spite of several assassination attempts, a US-backed exile invasion at the Bay of Pigs and five decades of economic sanctions, Fidel outlasted nine US Presidents. Fidel claimed he survived 634 plans by the CIA and other US organisations to assassinate him.

Castro was named as one of the 100 most influential personalities of all time by Time Magazine. However, in contrast to those mournings his death across the world, some Cuban critics, mainly from Miami, labelled him a 'tyrant' and celebrated his death.

11. Nice Truck Attack

An injured individual is seen on the ground after at least 84 people were killed in Nice, France, when a truck ran into a crowd celebrating the Bastille Day national holiday July 14. (Image Credit: Reuters)

On the evening of July 14, a 19-tonne cargo ran over the crowds at the Promenade des Anglais in Nice, France, as they were watching the Bastille day celebrations, killing 86 people and injuring 434 others.

The driver was Mohamed Lahouaiej-Bouhlel, a Tunisian resident of France, later shot by the police in a crossfire. French President François Hollande extended ‘state of emergency’  called for the November 2015 Paris attacks by another three months. Later, the ‘state of emergency’ was extended to January 26, 2017. 

On July 16, ISIS claimed responsibility for the attack. However, Interior Minister Bernard Cazeneuve said there were no prior link ups of Bouhlel with the terrorist group and that he must have become radicalised very quickly.

12. Brussels 2016 Bombing

On March 22, three consecutive bombings at the Brussels airport killed around 35 people and injured 340. (Credit: Reuters)

On the morning of March 22, Brussels was struck by three coordinated suicide bombings which killed around 35 people, including the three perpetrators and injuring 340 people. Two of the blasts occurred in Brussels Airport in Zaventem, and one at Maalbeek metro station in central Brussels. Another bomb was also traced at the airport.

The attack was claimed by ISIS. The suicide bombers belonged to the same terrorist cells involved in the 2015 Paris attacks. The three suicide bombers were Najim Laachraoui, Ibrahim el-Bakraoui and Khalid el-Bakraoui. 

13. Liberation of Mosul

Kurdish Peshmerga soldiers stand around a tunnel dug by ISIS in a house recently recaptured by the Kurds during the battle to retake Mosul, in Bartella, near Mosul. (Image Credit: Getty Images)

The fight for the liberation of Mosul began on October 16 after the Iraqi army was given the order to dislodge the terror group from their last major stronghold in the country. The offensive consisted of more than 30,000 troops from the Iraqi army, Shia paramilitary force and Kurdish Peshmerga who were pushing in on the city from three sides.

Mosul is under the control of ISIS, which seized the city in June 2014. The battle for Mosul is considered key in the military intervention against ISIS, being their largest and last-remaining bastion of power in Iraq. The liberation of Mosul could go along way in ending the powerful terror group in the area as it would effectively be confined to Syria – where they are under pressure and losing territory. Around 5,00,000 people have fled from the city since the Jihadist militants took control over the city.

14. Syria War: Aleppo

Syrian soldiers gesture on September 4, 2016, at a location on the southern outskirts of the Syrian city of Aleppo after regime forces retook control of three militaries academies from rebel fighters. (Image Credit: Reuters) 

Syria has been a war zone ever since 2011 when the conflict was triggered between the Syrian army in support of the president of Syria, Bashar al-Assad and rebels, who didn’t want him in power. The death toll from Syria's civil war till date has exceeded 4,70,000, according to the UN.

Once the commercial heart of Syria, Aleppo saw the death toll in thousands.  Eastern Aleppo was hit heavily with barrel bombs, driving out most of the population and killing thousands, including innocent children. Russia, a key supporter of Bashar al-Assad also bombed several parts of Aleppo with several air strikes. Russia’s intervention in the battle of Aleppo begun on September 30, 2015, following Syrian government's request for help.

The UN called the situation a “complete meltdown of humanity”. According to an Anadalou Agency report, there have been around 1000 deaths of civilians in Eastern Aleppo in the month of November 2016 alone. On November 15, the Syrian armed forces and its allied groups started the Aleppo offensive. The offensive started after the end of the temporary prohibition on air strikes by Russia. The Syrian Army and its allies have now captured around 95% of the former rebel-held part of Aleppo. During the offensive, 20,000 children fled from the east Aleppo.

15. France's burkini ban

Protest against burkini ban outside French embassy in London. (Image Credit: AFP) 

Following the 2011 ban on use of the burqa (a clothing covering the entire body from head to feet) and the niqab (a full-face veil with only the areas near the eye open) in public places, the French Riviera resort in Cannes was the first one to ban the Burkini (full-body swimwear Muslim women wear at public beaches and pools). 

Since then, around 14 other French cities have imposed the ban over the burkini. The ban drew was criticised and saw further controversy when a widely shared video on social media showed some police officials in Nice forcing a Muslim woman - wearing leggings, a long-sleeved top and a head scarf on a beach to the cloth covering her head. Later, France’s highest court ruled out the ban on burkini saying, the ban would be illegal and a violation of fundamental liberties of the people.

16. Turkey coup attempt

Policemen stand atop military armoured vehicles after troops involved in the coup surrendered on the Bosphorus Bridge in Istanbul, Turkey July 16, 2016. (Image Credit: Reuters)

Over 300 people were killed and more than 2,100 were injured in the coup attempt against President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and the state institutions on July 15. The coup was initiated by a part of Turkish Armed Forces, who termed themselves as the Peace at Home Council. Their attempt to seize control over many key places in Ankara, Istanbul, and elsewhere in Turkey was quashed by the loyal forces of the state.

The causes for the coup, according to the Council, was diminishing secularism, the elimination of democratic rule, dishonour of human rights, and Turkey's loss of credibility in the international arena.

Several government buildings including the Turkish Parliament and the Presidential Palace were destroyed. But, the coup was a failure for the council, with the main reason being chaos among the plotters' ranks and not much support from the public. Security forces opposing the council also took back key installations and bases, including the military headquarters.

A three month ‘State of Emergency’ was called by the president after the coup. Over 35,000 people were detained and 17,000 were arrested post the coup attempt in the country.

17. Demonetization in India

People standing in long queues outside ATMs, after PM Narendra Modi's announcement of Demonetization on November 8. (Image Credit: PTI)

On November 8, India came to a standstill with PM Narendra Modi's announcement of the biggest ever demonetization exercise on the notes of Rs 500 and Rs 1000. It was a bid to crack down on black money, corruption, fake currency issue and terror funding. Banks and ATMs remained shut throughout November 9 and 10, setting in panic amongst the people.

On November 11, ATMs opened for the first time, after the demonetization move. After frequent changes for days, the cap on withdrawal limit for cash was finally set to Rs 2500 and the exchange limit for the older notes of Rs 500 and Rs 1000 was set to Rs 2000.

Over 100 reported deaths have been reported since the demonetization was announced. There was severe criticism from the Opposition regarding the move and allegations, prominently from Rahul Gandhi, Nitish Kumar and Arvind Kejriwal, that there was information was leaked to BJP members before the announcement and that it was only benefiting the rich citizens.

On December 28, the cabinet signed the promulgation of an ordinance to impose heavy penalty for possession of old notes of Rs 500 and Rs 1000 beyond March 31, 2017, over the cut-off of 10 notes.

18. Kashmir Unrest

Protests broke out in the valley following the killing of Hizbul Mujahideen terrorist Burhan Wani in an encounter with security forces on July 8. (Image Credit: PTI)

The Kashmir unrest started on July 8, as violent protests rocked Kashmir Valley in the wake of the killing of Burhan Wani, the commander of Kashmir separatist group - Hizbul Mujahideen, by the security forces. The encounter took place in response to Wani's video posted on June 7, which warned of several attacks on Sainik and Pandit colonies in Kashmir.

Post the killing, anti-Indian protests took place across the valley and the government imposed curfew on July 15. The mobile, internet, newspaper and other satellite services were suspended.The valley witnessed curfew for around 100 days with periodic relaxation in some districts. These conflicts claimed more than 80 lives, including two cops.

This violence in the use of pellet guns by security forces to control protesters was criticised. Thousands were seriously injured due to the use of pellet guns. The Centre later announced a ban on the use of pellet guns.

Pakistan PM Nawaz Sharif's speech at United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) fuelled tensions in the valley when he said the killing of Burhan Wani, "has emerged as the symbol of the latest Kashmiri Intifada, a popular and peaceful freedom movement".

19. India-Pakistan Military Agitation

Chief of Army Staff, General Dalbir Singh along with Deputy Chief of Army Staff (Planning and System) at Headquarters of Northern Command to assess the security situation and interact with troops, in Udhampur on October 1. (Image Credit: PTI)

On 29 September, Indian military forces conducted a surgical strike across the Line of Control. The casualty figure was reported to be over 30. However, Pakistan rejected the claims saying the troops didn't cross the line and the attacks were made only at the border, resulting in deaths of two Pakistani soldier. They termed the incident as a 'quest' for India to create media hype. Pakistani media claimed that its counterattack killed eight Indian army personnel. However, the Indian army denied these claims.

The surgical strike was launched in response to the Uri attack on September 18 in which four heavily armed men killed 19 army jawans in the Jammu and Kashmir town. It was termed as one of the worst attacks in the state in over two decades. The armed men were believed to have come from Pakistan.

There were several diplomatic tensions between both the countries after the Uri attack, with India's refusing to attend the 19th SAARC Summit in Islamabad, along with Afghanistan, Bangladesh and Bhutan.

The escalated tensions reflected in the attacks on the border. Until November 2016, there had been 437 ceasefire violations along the Line of Control (LoC) and International Border in Jammu and Kashmir, which killed around 37 people and injured 179, according to a statement made by the government in the Lok Sabha. The tension between the two nuclear powers was closely watched by global powers. Outgoing UN Chief Ban Ki-moon asked India and Pakistan to resolve their differences on the matter.

With agency inputs.