Looking back at 2016: From Trump to Brexit

Well, it is the end of another year. It was overshadowed by political events culminating in the United States presidential election, mixed with an economic referendum in the United Kingdom that altered the map of Europe. One could also not overlook the series of vicious, violent and bloody terrorist acts which continue to kill scores of innocent people.

Trump - a controversial president

The US president-elect has been widely called out for his contentious rhetoric and outrageous quotes. He was elected as the 45th president following one of the most controversial elections in US history. TIME magazine selected him as ‘Person of the Year’ on their cover.

Brexit changes Europe's economic map

More than 51 percent of people in the UK voted to exit the EU, after more than four decades, in a historic referendum that will affect the entire European bloc. One of the immediate political outcomes of this momentous result was David Cameron stepping down as PM, to be succeeded by the then Home Office Secretary, Teresa May.

Incessant bloodshed

The year will be remembered for the scourge of near daily terror attacks all over the world. From Paris and Belgium, where dozens were killed in terror attacks linked to ISIS, to Turkey, to Nice, the French city that witnessed the most heinous attack using a truck which killed 84 and injured over 100.

Death of boxing legend Muhammad Ali

After a long battle with Parkinson’s disease and respiratory complications, Mohammad Ali, the three-time World Heavyweight Champion boxer passed away on June 3, aged 74. Ali was an emblem of strength, eloquence, conscience and courage who transcended borders and barriers of race and religion.

Passing away of the last Communist Leader

Fidel Castro, one of the world’s longest serving and most iconic leaders died on November 25. Castro toppled the government in 1959 unleashing a Communist revolution. He defied the US for half a century. Following failing health, he temporarily handed over power to his younger brother Raul Castro in 2006, who officially became president two years later.

Air disasters

One of the aviation disasters during the year was the crash of Egypt air commercial flight from Paris to Cairo, which disappeared from the radar on May 19. Days later, floating wreckage belonging to the aircraft was found in the Mediterranean, north of Alexandria.

Rio Olympics - a welcome break

The 31st Olympiad known as Rio 2016, the major international multi-sport event hosted by Rio de Janeiro in August, was the venue of some of the most amazing, shocking, funny, and moving incidents such the dramatic marriage proposal where a Chinese athlete proposed to his girlfriend as she received her medal.

Omran’s photo caught world’s attention

Omran Dagneesh, the five-year-old Syrian boy from the embattled Aleppo, had the attention millions of people around the world who watched and shared the arresting photo of him coated with dust and blood after being pulled out from the rubble of his home which was destroyed by Syrian regime airstrikes. In the images, Dagneesh, sits alone in the ambulance, as he stares bewildered and shocked.

Turkey will long remember July 15

Turkish TRT TV channel announced a short-lived military coup, followed by President Recep Tayyib Erdogan addressing the nation via FaceTime, urging people to take to the streets to stand up to the faction behind the uprising. He accused the United States based cleric Fethullah Gulen, of being behind the coup attempt.

2016 to bid adieu by assassination

Year 2016 concluded in bloodshed as it was inaugurated by violent blasts. Just two weeks before New Year, the Russia ambassador to Turkey was assassinated during the opening of a photographic exhibition. AP photographer Burhan Ozbilici captured the terrifying image of the killer assassinating the ambassador by firing at point-blank range. The photos from the nightmarish incident went viral.

Berlin truck attack

At that very same moment Berlin was the scene of another bloody attack as 12 were killed and 48 injured when a truck mauled shoppers at a Christmas market, in a scene very similar to the attack in the Parisian city of Nice.

*This article is also available in Arabic.