Former Prime Minister of Israel, Ariel Sharon passed away on 11th January, eight years after leaving his office due to incapacitation due to a stroke.
The Islamic State of Iraq and Levant (ISIL), a militant group supporting Al-Qaeda took control of the city Fallujah in the end of December. Iraqi Prime Minsiter, Nuri al – Maliki ordered the Iraqi army to expel the militants. However due to the possession of superior weapons by the ISIL, the army has only been able to surround the city but not expel the militant group. Iraq’s neighbor Iran has offered help to the Iraqi government to overthrow the ISIL.
Fighting in South Sudan continues despite attempts to broker peace between the two factions in conflict. Both the President and Vice President belong to the two warring communities respectively.
The North Korean government has announced that it will be conducting polls for its Supreme People’s Assembly on March 9th. DPRK Premier, Kim Jong Un is likely to run for a seat in the Korean Parliament like his father and predecessor Kim Jong Il did.
General Elections were held in Bangladesh at the start of January. Incumbent Prime Minister Sheikha Hasina and her party the Awami League (AL) won with clear majority. However, most of the seats were uncontested due to the protest by the opposition: the Bangladesh National Party, Jamat-e-Islami and the Jatiya Party against the AL.
While BNP protested against Sheikh Hasina’s refusal to establish a caretaker government before the elections (a system made defunct by law by the AL led government in 2010), the JI protested against the trials and execution of their leaders for committing war crimes in the war of 1971. Protests turned violent and Zia Khaleda (chief of BNP and former Prime Minister) was kept under house arrest.
Michel Djotodia, President of the Central African Republic (CAR) and Nicolas Tiangaye, Prime Minister of the same announced their resignation from their posts as they were unable to bottle the violence and anarchy that has been taking place in last one year in the nation. With military and political support from the French government, an interim President has been appointed who will oversee fresh elections later this year. Over a thousand have died in the violence that still continues in CAR.
Indian diplomat Devyani Khobragade was permitted Diplomatic immunity and was allowed by the district court of New York to return back to India. However, she will not be permitted to return back and her name has been included in the watch list for immigration and visa. Upon her return, she will have to face arrest. The Government of India in retaliation expelled a U.S. diplomat for his role in the Devyani case.
In opposition to Thai Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra, protests by the opposition brought Bangkok to a standstill. The protests became more dangerous after several were injured in bomb blasts which took place at the site of protest. The Thai PM has appealed to the protestors to withdraw and has agreed to conduct snap elections in the beginning of February. However the protestors have opposed this and have called for an unelected government led by another Prime Minister.
A referendum vote saw the ratification of the new Constitution for Egypt drafted under the guidance of the military and other likeminded parties. A clear majority of 99 percent voted in favour of the constitution. However the total turnout for voting was just over 30 percent.
Hery Rajaonarimampianina has been elected the President of Madagascar after elections were held in December, 2013. He was formerly the finance minister of the island nation.
Michelle Bachelet won the Chilean Presidential elections with 62 percent of the vote.
Nicolas Maduro won the Venezuelan Presidential elections. Maduro was previously the interim successor of late Hugo Chavez.
