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2008 Current Events
Key events & players, 2008
16
History
Graduate
06/01/2009

Additional History Flashcards

 


 

Cards

Term
Kosovo Independence
Definition
former Serbian province declares independence, 195th country, recognized by major world powers excluding Russian and China
Term
Georgia-Russian War
Definition
5-day war, Kremlin supported South Ossetian separatists escalate attacks in Georgia, Georgia attacks separatist captial Tshkihnvali, MOscow responds with excessive force to protect South Ossetia region

Russia goals:
Expulsion of Georgian troops and termination of Georgian sovereignty in South Ossetia and Abkhazia;
"Regime change" by bringing down President Mikheil Saakashvili and installing a more pro-Russian leadership in Tbilisi;
Preventing Georgia from joining NATO and sending a strong message to Ukraine that its insistence on NATO membership may lead to war and/or its dismemberment;

Pro-Russian regime to bring Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan oil pipeline and the Baku-Erzurum (Turkey) under Moscow control

Recreating a 19th-century-style sphere of influence in the former Soviet Union, by the use of force if necessary.
Term
Problems in Zimbabwe
Definition
Runaway inflation (printed $500 million bill), election issues (Mugabe challenged by Morgan Tsvangirai), cholera epidemic
Term
Sichuan earthquake
Definition
7.9 magnitude, killed more than 69,000 people, worst disaster in China in 30 years
Term
Autonomy for Greenland
Definition
75.54% of Greenlanders voted for greater automoy from Denmark, Beginning June 2009 will see greater sare of oil revenue, offical langauge switch from Danish to Kalaallisut, consideration as separate people under int'l law
Term
Venezuela Selects Offset Time Zone
Definition
Only country in Americas to possess an offset time zone (minor exception: small part of Canada)
Term
Percentage of World Pop Living in Cities
Definition
UN reported half of world pop. will live in cities by then od 2008, 70% by 2050
Term
Summer Olympics
Definition
Beijing, just months after earthquake, preempted by Russia-Georgia war, Michael Phelps wins 8 gold medals
Term
Proposed Mediterranean Union
Definition
French President Nicolas Sarkozy initiated proposal to bring union of Mediterranean bordering southern European and Muslim countries and (and Israel)
Term
Notable Deaths
Definition
Charltan Heston, Heath Ledger, Cyd Charisse, Patriarch Aleksy II
Term
Mumbai
Definition
India's financial capitol, Pakistan-based terrorist organization coordinated more than ten shootings, one attacker captured alive
Term
Which country was removed from the US "state sponsor of terrorism" list?
Definition
North Korea
Term
Which software platform, for mobile devices, was released by Google this year?
Definition
Android
Term
Which states legalized marijuana?
Definition
Michigan (medicinal), Massachusetts
Term
Unemployment Rate
Definition
Above 6.7%, highest in 26 years
Term
Large Hadron Collider
Definition
Launched at CERN to research the smallest known particles, Higgs Boson
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