Farewell to 2015

As we reach the end of an eventful year, The Weekend Independent would like to wish all its loyal readers, contributors and patrons a prosperous and joyous New Year 2016.

2015 was a year that saw political conflicts or civil wars at home and around the world. It witnessed the sufferings of millions of migrants and refugees who risked treacherous sea and land journeys to seek better lives for their near and dear ones. There was also rise in militancy that saw thousands of innocents die in terrorist attacks and world heritage sites mindlessly destroyed.

It also saw the wrath of nature in massive earthquakes and cyclones that ravaged nations like Nepal and the Pacific island of Vanuatu. Then there were manmade disasters, like forest fires and smog that affected parts of southeast Asia. There were also a couple of aircraft downed by ‘accidental’ gunfire, which claimed many lives and led to fresh diplomatic rows.  

But there were also positive events, like world leaders finally coming to an agreement to prevent the Earth from warming up too much, which would threaten our very existence on this planet. The world also reached a historic nuclear deal with Iran, while the US made good with Cuba, ending years of sanctions.  

The world also united to help refugees as much as possible, and fight against terrorists and regimes that threaten basic human rights.   

Some countries saw landmark elections, like Myanmar where a civilian government won long-awaited national elections; and Saudi Arabia where women not only voted for the first time, but ran for local council seats, too.

There was victory in space also: the International Space Station celebrated 15 years of human habitation, while NASA probes got closer looks at Mars and Pluto to find evidence of water and possibility of life.

All in all, it was a year to remember, and we hope we will all be able to cherish the coming year. We promise to return in 2016 with a new look and better contents for our valuable readers, who have stayed with us over the past two decades.

Farewell to 2015

As we reach the end of an eventful year, The Weekend Independent would like to wish all its loyal readers, contributors and patrons a prosperous and joyous New Year 2016. 2015 was a year that saw political conflicts or civil wars at home and around the world. It witnessed the sufferings of millions of migrants and refugees who risked treacherous sea and land journeys to seek better lives for their near and dear ones. There was also rise in militancy that saw thousands of innocents die in terrorist attacks and world heritage sites mindlessly destroyed. It also saw the wrath of nature in massive earthquakes and cyclones that ravaged nations like Nepal and the Pacific island of Vanuatu. Then there were manmade disasters, like forest fires and smog that affected parts of southeast Asia. There were also a couple of aircraft downed by accidental gunfire, which claimed many lives and led to fresh diplomatic rows. But there were also positive events, like world leaders finally coming to an agreement to prevent the Earth from warming up too much, which would threaten our very existence on this planet. The world also reached a historic nuclear deal with Iran, while the US made good with Cuba, ending years of sanctions. The world also united to help refugees as much as possible, and fight against terrorists and regimes that threaten basic human rights. Some countries saw landmark elections, like Myanmar where a civilian government won long-awaited national elections; and Saudi Arabia where women not only voted for the first time, but ran for local council seats, too. There was victory in space also: the International Space Station celebrated 15 years of human habitation, while NASA probes got closer looks at Mars and Pluto to find evidence of water and possibility of life. All in all, it was a year to remember, and we hope we will all be able to cherish the coming year. We promise to return in 2016 with a new look and better contents for our valuable readers, who have stayed with us over the past two decades.